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COUNC.ii k*«=F=TING <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />JUN 1 4 1999 <br />11 ur UriUDtU <br />DATE: June 10, 1999 <br />ITEM NO <br />= <br />Department Approval: <br />Name Gregory A. Gappa <br />Title Director of Public Services <br />Administrator Reviewed: <br />Item Description: Ordinance Revision Maintenance of Private Property <br />Agenda Section: <br />Administration <br />We have experienced problems in enforcing our City code in regards to maintenance of private <br />property. Code Section 9.55 concerning maintenance of propert}' docs not contain a provision <br />that allows the City to complete required work such as noxious weed control, lawn mowing and <br />dead tree removal and assess the costs to the property owner. <br />We recently took a property owner to court to force the removal of dead trees that were a safety <br />hazard. The City’s prosecuting attorney recommended that an easier method to complete this <br />process would have assessment authority for these items in our City code. The court system is <br />not very interested in dealing with these types ot mmor cases, as they waste valuable time and <br />money. <br />I <br />The City already has special assessment authority in Section 9.50 of the City code. This section <br />deals with the removal of junk cars, furniture and appliances. This section has been used many <br />times for the removal of junk cars. This is used as a last resort after several requests to the <br />property owner for removal of the junk cars. A local towing company is contacted to tow the <br />car and the towing bill is asi^ssed back to the property owner as a special assessment. The City <br />also uses special assessments to collect unpaid sewer and water bills. <br />We are recommending that "Section 9.55 - Maintenance of Private Property" of the City code be <br />amended to add special assessment language. This code section is not part of the zoning code <br />so Planning Commission action or a public hearing is not required. <br />COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED: <br />Approval of the attached amendment to Section 9.55 Orono City Code to allow the use of special <br />assessments to recover City costs related to enforcement of the provisions in this section.