In 'zoning binge,' city will tow vehicles

GIRARD -- Vehicles parked in violation of zoning regulations will be towed beginning Friday morning.
"We have gone on a zoning binge," Mayor James J. Melfi said.
Melfi explained that Rex Funge, city zoning inspector/assistant engineer, and Jerry Lambert, service director, have been issuing citations.
Twenty-seven people had been cited as of Wednesday. The citation gives the owner 72 hours to remove the vehicle.
They are vehicles that don't work or are being parked in yards.
If the violations are not corrected, the vehicles will be towed, the mayor said. The owner will have to pay a $75 to $100 towing fee in addition to a daily storage fee.
Melfi, who went around earlier this week with Funge and Lambert, said all the violations can't be attributed to renters; about 80 percent of the citations were issued to occupants who own the properties.
The mayor and city council have made it a priority to enforce zoning regulations to clean up neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, the city has initiated inspections of rental properties. The city has more than 1,000. Although Melfi said there are landlords who maintain their properties, there are some "problem rentals."
Melfi said the inspections are being done with current staff members, but their time is limited. A part-time inspector will be hired in the near future and will be paid from money generated from the inspection fees.
The "problem rentals" are being given priority.
Melfi said the top of the list includes those on which the zoning department and police have received complaints, those not paying utility bills and those not paying taxes.
Saying inspections often uncover health-related issues, the mayor said he will ask the city health department to involve its sanitarian.
"I think that will add a lot of punch to the inspection," Melfi said.
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