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Session 1891 <br />July 7, 2003 <br /> <br />has been so many complaints about this property. <br /> <br />Mr. Sharpe asked Mr. Ollendorff if there were any possibility that the ordinance could be <br />strengthened or if there were any other higher steps that could be taken to increase <br />enforcement of the current ordinance. Mr. Ollendorff didn't know of anything other than <br />issuing a summons for ordinance violations. He said that the City will be greatly <br />increasing the fines. The court has been advised that these fees need to be stepped up <br />so they just can't get away with paying little fees that make no impact. Mr. Sharpe <br />asked if these cases can also be defined as nuisance houses or other charges added <br />as individuals that regularly break the law. Mr. Ollendorff will inquire of the City's <br />nuisance law attorney regarding Mr. Sharpe's question. <br /> <br />Mr. Wagner said that from his interpretation of the nuisance law, a property that <br />repeatedly violates a city ordinance can qualify as a nuisance, which can lead to the <br />closure of the house. To get this house in this category, so that the threat is hanging <br />over them, might get us the desired results. <br /> <br />Mr. Munkel would like the City Manager to look into some other options: With this many <br />people living in the house, there should be some housing violations that would apply. <br />Secondly, there maybe some neglect issues related to children being in the home that <br />could be attended to by the Division of the Family Services. A police officer would <br />probably have to make that particular report. Mr. Ollendorff responded that the primary <br />responsibility for enforcing the occupancy laws is primarily the department of Planning <br />and Development. They also look for violations of the property maintenance laws. The <br />inspectors did not find any major violations during their last three or four visits. <br /> <br />Mr. Lieberman said that he remembered that this ordinance was set up in a way so that <br />in any period of time, any folks not listed on the occupancy permit, unless they were <br />born there, were given a notice of eviction. Mayor said that the way he reads the report <br />on this that it appears that a number of them were born there. Mr. Lieberman agreed <br />that if they were born there that this problem could not be stopped. Mr. Sharpe asked if <br />there was a way to leverage a fire code against the property to determine any fire <br />hazards. Mr. Ollendorff will investigate that possibility. <br /> <br />Ms. Colquitt said that some members of this household have been cited and she asked <br />if they had shown up for court. Mr. Ollendorff said that they did and paid the fines. Ms. <br />Colquitt asked Mr. Ollendorff to send Ms. Blockton a letter detailing the actions that the <br />City has taken against this property. <br /> <br />Richard Dockett, 6844 Crest, said that he was here to support Mrs. Blockton's request <br />for action against the overcrowding at 6814 Crest. He believes that this property is <br />indeed a nuisance home and the Council needs to enforce this position. The Certain <br />family has found too many loopholes to get around the occupancy laws. <br /> <br />Page 6 <br /> <br /> <br />