Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Document
Amending the codified ordinances of the city of Youngstown. Enacting section 546.16, quality of live, of the codified ordinances of the city of Youngstown, which is more fully defined herein...
YOUNGSTOWN
City council will consider legislation Wednesday to repeal and replace the property-maintenance code and laws regarding demolition and unsafe buildings, but little actually will change, city officials say.
The new laws are similar to the current ones but are being done to streamline policies and have them in one location, Mayor John A. McNally said.
“The goal is more clarity for the public and the city officials who are responsible for enforcing them,” he said.
The “substance hasn’t really changed,” said Nicole Billec, an assistant city law director. “We had the authority to enforce these laws, but we’re making the ordinances more clear and concise.”
Councilwoman Annie Gillam, D-1st, said having city laws on these issues “all over the place” isn’t effective.
“Having them together will make it easier for everyone to find everything,” she said. “It puts it all in a neat package.”
There are additional pieces of legislation that will result in changes to city law.
For example, council will consider an ordinance that allows the city to fine residents with grass or weeds grown in excess of 6 inches, rather than the current 8-inch limit. The proposal also states those limits are enforced only between April 1 and Oct. 31.
Proposals also are more specific on permitting agencies hired by the city to collect on demolition costs, property-maintenance violations and grass cutting, Billec said.
Earlier this month, the city hired Millstone and Kannesohn, a Liberty law firm, to handle notices and collections for those items as well as lot cleanups, boarding building services and delinquent water bills.
To go along with that, the administration is asking city council to allow the board of control to enter into a $102,168 annual contract, starting April 15, with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. to supervise a new program to have about 20 low-income people, between age 18 and 24, cut grass, clean debris and illegal dumping sites, do light landscaping and board up vacant structures.
The city plans to purchase about $175,000 in equipment, including pickup trucks, lawn mowers and weed whackers, for those hired through the Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association, McNally said. MCTA is the administrative and fiscal agent for Federal Workforce Investment Act funds; the association will pay the workers with federal grant money.
The work would be done between June 1 and Aug. 15, he said.
“We’re working with MCTA to put young people to work and give them job training and experience,” McNally said.
Also Wednesday, council will give an initial reading of an ordinance that amends quality-of-life issues such as animal control, garbage dumping, illegal parking and loud music.
The proposal will have at least one public hearing to obtain input from citizens before council votes, said Councilman John R. Swierz, D-7th.
The ordinance creates administrative penalties for those in violation of those rules with a first violation being $25 or $50, depending on the violation, escalating to $150 to $250 for a third violation.
“We have ordinances for quality-of-life issues all over the place, and charging people criminally, in my opinion, is low on the totem pole,” Swierz said. “This will allow us to fine people, and have it enforced by our new community police officers.”
There is no rush to approve the quality-of-life proposal as the community police officers won’t be in the neighborhoods until mid-June, he said.
People still could be charged criminally for breaking these laws, Billec said.
Council also will give an initial reading of an ordinance Wednesday that requires downtown property owners and occupants to keep their sidewalks clean of snow.
Council will vote Wednesday on the city’s proposed $179.7 million budget. Council’s finance committee will meet at 5 p.m. today to ask final questions on the spending package. Under city law, council must approve the 2015 budget by March 31.