Groton — People will have a chance to voice their opinions on a proposed town ordinance to reduce single-use plastics and polystyrene.

The Town Council's public hearing on the ordinance will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Community Room 1 of the Town Hall Annex, 134 Groton Long Point Road. 

"While we had a great response to the educational forum run by the Conservation Commission, it is vital to the council that the public come out and have their voices heard at this point in the process," Town Mayor Patrice Granatosky said. "We are happy to be moving Groton forward on this important matter."

The Economic Development Commission will hold a forum from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, in Community Room 1 of the Town Hall Annex, for the business community to learn more about the proposed ordinance and provide feedback, which then will be relayed to the council at Tuesday's hearing, Commission Vice Chairman Bill Groves said.

Bruce Lofgren, a planner with the Town of Groton, said the proposed draft would ban single-use plastic checkout bags, as well as plastic straws, except for people with disabilities who need straws. It also was expanded to include a ban on polystyrene food service products, after finding support for banning them at the Conservation Commission's September forum. The ordinance also would ban plastic stirrers.

Specifically, the ordinance prohibits businesses and food service establishments from providing, either for a fee or at no charge, "for any sales transaction or other use to members of the public," the following items: plastic carryout bags; plastic stirrers; and plastic straws, unless specifically requested by a person.

The ordinance also says that businesses and food service establishments are not allowed to "serve, sell, distribute or provide prepared food in or on polystyrene food service products," including cups, bowls, lids, plates, trays and clamshells.

The ordinance provides a list of exemptions to the ban, including laundry dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, packages of plastic bags for garbage disposal or pet waste, bags for prescription drugs; plastic bags for bulk items such as produce, nuts, grains, candy or small hardware items; plastic bags for frozen foods, meat or fish; plastic bags for "unwrapped prepared foods" or bakery goods; and bags "used by nonprofit or other organizations to distribute food, grocery products, clothing or other household items."

The ordinance allows polystyrene food service products "used for prepacked food that have been filled and sealed prior" to the businesses receiving them for sale. It also allows establishments, such as butchers, fish markets and grocery stores, to sell raw meat and fish prepackaged in polystyrene products.   

Lofgren said the ordinance doesn't ban the bulk sale of prepackaged plastic straws, plastic and polystyrene food service products.

If the Town Council adopts the ordinance, there will be a six-month period before it goes into effect, Lofgren said. If businesses are having trouble coming into compliance, the ordinance allows them to apply to the town manager for a one-time hardship variance of no more than three months.

The town's zoning enforcement officer would be in charge of enforcing the ordinance, he said. If the town receives a complaint that a business is in violation of the ordinance, the zoning enforcement officer would go out to the business and make a determination. If found to be in violation, the business owner or representative would have 14 days to come into compliance.

If the business is found noncompliant after 14 days, it would be subject to a $150 fine per offense. 

"We're looking forward to hearing any public comment or input on the current draft to understand what the community's desires are," said Jon Reiner, the town's director of planning and development services.

After the public hearing on the ordinance, the Town Council Committee of the Whole is slated to consider it on Nov. 26, and may potentially also vote on it in a special council meeting that night, Town Manager John Burt said. The ordinance then would go to the Representative Town Meeting for a vote.

The proposed ordinance is available below or on the Town of Groton's website, www.groton-ct.gov.  

k.drelich@theday.com