A decade after the city launched a so-called war on blight, the special committee formed to spearhead the effort may soon close up shop.
Instead of having a Blight Committee, city officials are planning to enact new legislation that would fold the panel into Bristol’s code enforcement effort.
The change will make it “so we can move in a quicker, more defined manner,” said Guy Morin, the city’s chief building official.
City leaders have long complained that the blight panel could not force property owners to spruce up their holdings without going through a long, costly legal process.
The new system that city councilors plan to create relies on code enforcement officials writing citations that rack up fines quickly. They also have more clout to order cleanups fast – or make sure the work is done by someone at the owner’s expense.
Councilors plan to approve new legislation to make the statutory revision at their March meeting. It would take effect in the spring.
Generally, code enforcement has been a priority for the city for the last few years, with a focus on forcing property owners to keep up the structural integrity and safety of buildings, especially rental apartments. The crackdown led to a new housing code and beefed up citation powers.
The new wording proposed by the Ordinance Committee would add language requiring property owners to keep up the outside appearance of structures as well.
The proposed law says that all structures should be free of abandoned vehicles, nuisances, refuse, pollution and filth.
Under the terms of the proposed statute, the exterior can’t have broken glass, loose shingles, holes, cracked or damaged siding, crumbling brick or other conditions “reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance.”
Most of the officials who have served on the Blight Committee will also serve on the code enforcement panel.
The sole exception is the Bristol Development Authority’s director, who is getting dumped from the committee. The fire marshal, who has been on the blight panel, may continue to serve. It’s up to the fire chief to choose someone from his department.
Getting added to the oversight panel are the police chief, public works director, zoning enforcement officer and the police officer assigned to code enforcement work.
City Councilor Kevin McCauley, who has been championing the change, said that “blending these two committees” will make it easier for the city to clean up troubled properties and ensure neighborhoods are protected from creeping blight.
Officials said the panel will try to work with property owners to help them comply with the law.
Only those who won’t take care of their property will wind up facing fines of up to $90 a day.
Who would serve on the Code Enforcement Committee?
* Police Chief
* A police officer designated to do code enforcement
* Zoning enforcement officer
* Health director
* Fire chief or his designee
* Public works director
* Chief building officer
* A citizen appointed by the mayor
Click here to read the proposed law (please note that the final section, 5-57, remains in committee while councilors reconsider its language; the rest of it, however, is headed to the council for final approval)
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
15 comments:
We need to act fast on implementing a graffiti ordinance. Several areas around the city have been hit by graffiti and the longer it stays up the more that gets added.
Look to surrounding communities that require remediation within 24 hours by the owner. The police need to work in conjunction with the property owners to crack down on the violators and bill them for the damage.
Go back to sleep Cockayne.
typical cockayne, the property owner gets violated by having graffiti narring his property and then the owner has to get it off within 24 hours or else he is in violation - i think that the worst violation with this process is that cockayne wants to have this much power to even think this way.
Just another attempt to attack rental property owners .
Why don't they just ban rental property ?
Now we can hear from the racist "slumlord" commentators .
I thought Cockayne was asleep.
ahhhhh ..... So it's time to re-organize the gestapo in Bristol to go after those nasty taxpaying landlords .
Get ready folks ...... tax increase eminent ....
Because many of us you actually live in Bristol don't want slumlords that does not make us racists. Those that own and maintain their rental properties are called neighbors. Those that let their rental property rot and fail to maintain them are called slumlords.
So if Bristol is anti-slumlords that is a good thing!
ahhhhhh...So it's finally time to go after those nasty slumlords. Who cares if they're taxpayers? Their nasty, blighted pigsties drive down the property value of anything surrounding them. They don't care if their tenants are living in deplorable, unsafe conditions. They don't care about their neighbors, and they certainly don't care about Bristol...It's about time somebody steps up to the plate and either makes them get with the program or makes them get out.
Get ready folks...Rising property values imminent! (Not "eminent" oh wise one).
The message must be made clear.
Bristol does not want slumlords.
When we address blight everyone will benefit except for slumlords who have been taking advantage of the system for way too long!
Since slumlords won't police themselves the city and the residents of Bristol should be all over them.
Glad to se that there are no Council mambers on this committee!!!!
It must be nice having such a perfect life that soooo many are able to tell everyone else how to live theirs .
I recall a time in America when citizens were entitled to life , liberty , and the persuit of happiness .
Diverstiy is what makes America strong and envied by the rest of the world .
Bristol should think about that before crucifying it's citizens .
...10:45,You sound terribly confused. Cracking down on the slumlords and their blighted property has absolutely nothing to do with anyone's entitlement to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nor does if have anything to do with diversity, and to my knowledge, Bristol is not planning any crucifixions in the near future...
Once again, you slumlords are soooo over dramatic!
to 10:45 a.m. on 2/25: your rights end when they start affecting me! Your pieces of crap properties drive down the values of our homes and makes the city look like a dump, which is turn attracts people who don't care about the property they are renting which in turn perpetuates the problem and just makes it grow.
Slum landlords not taking care of their property and putting any person with a section 8 voucher in their apartment without checking credentials and doing background checks adds to the crime in this city not to mention the "clinic" that Bristol Hospital's emergency room has turned into, because some of these people don't believe in calling a doctor to make an appointment for a cold and choose to go to the emergency room where it costs over $500 just to walk in the door only to receive an antibiotic.
The slum lords can scoff at the notion of fighting blight, but just look around you. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what happens when people don't take care of their property. The stricter the law, better off this city will be.
Well said 6:41!
Start with your own blight city people.
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