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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Committee Minutes 04.07.2003MEMBERS PRESENT: MINUTES PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE APRIL 7, 2003 5:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS Chairman Gay Easton Mark Mace John Oakes Dan Mears Marvin Carter Lorraine Craig Ed Steffans Bill Staudinger David Siljestrom OTHERS PRESENT: Steve Klotz Cheryll Lund Tom Watkins ' , 1) Discussion on Nuisance Ordinance Tom Watldns, 1301 W. Maryland, was present to voice his concerns over the Nuisance Ordinance. Tom is a game warden and lives on W. Maryland. Tom has complained for approximately 4 years about his neighbor to the north storing numerous junk vehicles in his front, side and backyard. Most of the vehicles are unlicensed and inoperable. The neighbor's children, who do not live at that address, own some of the vehicles that are being stored there. One of the vehicles being stored has a trunk that is continually open which creates a hazard to small children and Tom's own 5-year-old daughter. Tom showed the committee members pictures of all of the various vehicles. The total count was 7 vehicles. When Tom talked to the City Attorney he was advised to sue the city and the individual that owns the mess. Tom would like to see a time frame put on the complaints made to the Public Works Director department. He states that it took the city over 4 months to come investigate the problem. At this time Tom has put his house up for sale. No one wants to buy his house when it sits next to a junkyard. His realtor has told him that 2 different people looking at the house have made statements that they like the layout of the house but would not buy the house because of the junkyard next door. The City re-invested this problem several months ago. Since that investigation there has been another vehicle added to the backyard. Tom would like to suggest that the city re-write the ordinance and put a limit on the number of vehicles per household, per occupant. The other suggestions are to make it mandatory that the vehicles being stored are insured and currently licensed to an occupant of the home. That way no one could store vehicles for another person. Tom feels that the existing ordinance is black and white and doesn't understand why it can't be enforced. He also is not happy that the City is telling people that by tarping a vehicle that puts it in compliance when the ordinance does not say that. He states that the City is going against its own ordinances by allowing people to tarp junk vehicles. Tom suggests that the wording of the ordinance be defined. One thing that needs to be defined is "enclosed buildings". The other problem is the phrase in 8.12.030 that says "not to be readily visible from any public place or from any surrounding private property". That needs to be defined. John Oakes questioned why these ordinances cannot be enforced? What's the holdup? Dan Mears stated that he has had the same type of situation next to him for 17 years and nothing has been done. Dan's neighbor is actually running ajunkyard out of his backyard. The City has talked to him many times but he has never been pushed tO comply. A ticket was written to the violator and he challenged it in court because he said that his fights were violated. The holdup is that the City Judge feels like the ordinance cannot be enforced as it is written. She brought the problem to a council workshop and requested that the ordinance be re-written. Steve Klotz, Public Works Director, spoke in regards to the violation in question. Since January there have been 350 letters sent out to violators of ordinance 8.12. The Code Enforcement official has looked at every property in Laurel. Out of the 350 letters 180 have been brought into compliance. The property owners are given 10 days to comply with the violation. The property is looked at again in 15 days. If the violation is still not in compliance the Code Enforcement official goes to their home, or calls them on the telephone to visit with them about the problem. If they still do not comply they are given a notice to appear in court. The Code Enforcement Official works with the property owner as much as he can before a ticket is issued, as there are various situations in which people need more time to comply. Once a ticket is issued it is out of the public works departments hands. The ultimate goal is to get the property into compliance, not issue tickets. Steve states that there are several areas in the LMC code which are in conflict with other areas of the LMC code. The ordinances are hard to read and interpret. In his opinion they need to be re- written. After a lengthy discussion by the committee it is decided that the ordinance needs to be reviewed and re-written. The committee recommends that the Public Works Director, Code Enforcement Official, City Attorney and City Judge get together and review the ordinance. Motion by Smokey Staudinger, second by Mark Mace to request the Mayor to direct the Public Works Director, Code Enforcement Official, City Attorney and City Judge, get together to review the ordinance and re-write it so it will be enforceable. Motion carded. 2) Miscellaneous Business 2 Lorraine Craig has requested that Ordinance 10.48.070 concerning parking time limits, be amended to allow vehicles that are currently licensed and insured and operable to be parked on the city street in front of their own residence for an unlimited amount of time. Lorraine's property is not big enough for her to be able to follow the existing ordinance. She feels that other people in Laurel probably have the same problem. After a discussion by the committee it was decided that this ordinance should be reviewed at the same time that the nuisance ordinance is reviewed. Smoky stated that since the City came out and measured and painted the bus stop that no busses have parked in that area, but he has seen many of them park on the south side of W. Main next to the new Eagles parking lot. Question on why the lights are already on at the Legion Field? In the past the lights haven't been turned on until after school was out. Steve will check into this. Question on underpass lights? They have been installed but not turned on. Steve stated that vandal proof lights have been installed but he is unsure why they haven't been wired in and turned on. He will check into it. John Oakes stated that the sign on the front of the Court House is in bad shape and needs to be replaced. The meeting was adjourned at 6:23 pm. Respectfully submitted. Cheryll Lurid, Secretary