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Quality-of-life violations will carry fines starting Jan. 1
YOUNGSTOWN
The city will enforce its quality-of-life ordinance starting Jan. 1, and is in a grace period through the end of the year, issuing warnings to violators.
“We may do some sweeps to enforce it, but we view it as another tool in our toolbox to clean up the city and make it a better place to live,” said Abigail Beniston, the city’s property-code-enforcement and blight-remediation superintendent.
Among the items on the quality-of-life list that are illegal are: barking and howling dogs, storing junk and inoperable motor vehicles in public, burning of trash, dumping garbage, illegally parking vehicles, and loud music.
The ordinance, approved by city council in May, includes 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, Beniston said.
Enforcement will be done by city inspectors and community police officers, she said.
As has been the case before the ordinance was approved, people still can be charged criminally for these offenses.
“This created a ticketing system that goes along with violating the quality-of-life laws,” Beniston said. “We took several quality-of-life issues on the books and made it easier to crack down on enforcing them through the fines. It allows us to get a quick response from violators as they are subject to fines.”
The city began implementing a warning system Tuesday for those who violate the ordinances during a grace period that ends Dec. 31, she said. The notices serve only as a warning that a violation has occurred. Violators will not face fines until Jan. 1.