The city of Bridgeton and an outside consultant that took over some of its code-enforcement duties have settled a class action suit by property owners who claimed the arrangement violated their civil rights.

The settlement returns a pro rata share of fines and fees that were collected from property owners under the arrangement with Borgers, Saunders, Taylor and Associates of East Orange. The suit said the city misused the municipal code as a source of illegal revenue by charging excessive fines and fees for code enforcement violations involving vacant and abandoned properties.