Zoning violations go unresolved

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

Some city officials are hoping to meet with court officials to discuss the situation.

GIRARD — City officials want to see more done to combat zoning violations, but the first step will have to be finding the perceived breakdown in the system between the zoning department and the court.

Councilman Larry Williams often speaks with frustration in his voice about a list of more than 50 pieces of property in the city with zoning violations. The list has violations dating back to 2005 with several contacts from city and court officials to the owners, yet the cases remain open, and in most cases, the violations remain unaddressed.

According to Williams, zoning personnel cite the owners and make every attempt at getting the property issues addressed, but it is when the issues are taken to court that there is a holdup.

“For two years we have been trying hard to get them to see these cases. Then, when we get someone in front of them, they suspend the cost. It all becomes a joke. We end up going over the same ground over and over again,” he said. “The way I feel about it is that they just don’t want to deal with the subject.”

Williams said he wants to meet with Law Director Mark Standohar and Prosecutor Bob Johnson to find out why more cases are not being addressed in the court. He said a similar meeting was held about a year ago.

“We started to get some movement, then the communication stopped, and that was it,” he said. “We need to have a relationship with the court in order to get this going.”

Johnson said he was under the impression that the court and the city were working together to address any zoning concerns. He said zoning personnel bring the cases to the court and they are addressed as they come in.

According to Johnson, about 46 zoning cases from the city were filed in Girard Municipal Court between July 2007 and July 2008.

Johnson said there are a number of reasons the system may be moving somewhat slower than councilmen such as Williams would like to see. He said the court is willing to work with those trying to get their property cleaned up.

“Our goal is to basically get the property cleaned up. If they are making progress, then we will work with them,” he said.

According to Johnson, it takes about 105 days from the date of arraignment on a zoning violation to the trial date and if the person is still not in compliance, he or she is likely to be given a suspended fine and more time to comply. If the person is still not in compliance after the additional time, he said, the person will face a probation violation and be made to pay the suspended fine.

Johnson said the court will eventually issue a warrant block preventing the individual from doing certain things such as renewing a driver’s license. If that does not work, zoning officials can file a new case against the owner.

Williams said he is frustrated with the system and looking to try a new means of addressing zoning issues.

“I want to explore a mayor’s court or something like that. I am willing to explore anything. If I don’t get it done here, I need to get it done somewhere,” he said.

jgoodwin@vindy.com