A decade ago, Mayor Frank Nicastro launched a war on blight in Bristol with a new ordinance aimed at combatting crummy-looking properties and a new committee to enforce it.
While the effort certainly focused attention on the problem -- and managed to get a fair number of owners to spruce up, some reluctantly -- city leaders have said for years they'd like to see a more comprehensive, faster crackdown than the existing system allows.
Mayor Art Ward said he'd like the Ordinance Committee to take another look at the system.
He said he's eyeing the possibility of asking the panel to wipe out the Blight Committee and fold the oversight of blight laws into the existing code enforcement led mostly by the Building Department.
Ward said that making the blight fight a normal part of city employees' jobs may make it easier to crack the whip on troublesome properties.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
14 comments:
Art:
How will Nicastro be able to sell excess property at a later date for less than he brought it for if you abolish this committee.
I say go for it.
Blight is in the eye of the beholder ....
Live and let live ....
Isn't it time to stop turning taxpayers into criminals just because they are easier to catch and punish ??
Do away with the entire bight nonsense by repealing all existing measures and creating NO MORE LAWS !!!
3:18 poster,
said just like a slumlord! Your neighbors must love living next too you! Wonder what your house looks like!
Wasn't that brought before the Council 3-4 months ago?
If it goes to Bldg, who does Ward have in mind to hire?
this has been in the works by the code enforcement committee for years and picked up steam after Dr. Checko retired - its a good move.
The city needs to establish a committee to look at creating housing opportunity in the city. Look outside the same old people and you may end up with some very creative solutions to our housing issues
The Building dept officials cave in to people like Frank Johnson when it comes to enforcing Zoning regulations against influential greedy developers, the same thing can happen when it comes to enforcing laws affecting influential slumlords.
Guess which Mayoral candidate got support from most greedy developers and slumlords. You guessed it. Art Ward. Now he has to return the favor.
What's next ?????
If the govt. ( gestapo ) doesn't like the look of your face they can legally change it ??
Ban Blight Laws !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ward will undo anything that Ellen worked on, just a he will undo as much of the previous administration as he possibly can.
doesn't look like ward is elinating the work of the blight committee, looks as he is combining blight and the code enforcement piece together. don't know if that is good or bad but we'll see.
Practice what you preach. It's time to stop playing your stupid politics and do what you can to help Bristol !! Art Ward is our Mayor......get used to it!!!
------ Practice what you preach. It's time to stop playing your stupid politics and do what you can to help Bristol !! Art Ward is our Mayor......get used to it!!!
December 10, 2007 6:52 AM-------
mr ward did everthing he could think of to block and criticize all the efforts when the prior adminstration attempted to repair the damage caused when mr. ward was depty dawg .
The only thing Ellen did was work on blight conditions on the Federal Hill, (where she lives). Let us not forget the three votes she had taken on the Federal Hill property that Federal Hill residents didn't even want. That cost the taxpayers approximately $50,000.00. Thanks for that Ellen.
The Blight committee hasn't been able to accomplish anything. There hasn't been a resolution with any of the large blight offenders in years. Example: Kerr property. It's still a dump filled with rats. The neighbors can't even sell their houses. They've been going after this guy for over 5 years.
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