Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
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Thursday, May 15, 2008
Martinsville residents with junked vehicles in their yards better get rid of them.
Numerous property maintenance code amendments were approved by the Martinsville City Council on first reading Tuesday. Amendments pertain to junked vehicles and other nuisances, as well as require the owners of vacant buildings to register them.
But the focus is on “inoperative vehicles,” as the code refers to them. City officials have been able to get junked vehicles off the streets, but now they will be able to get them out of yards as well.
It’s a matter of improving the city’s appearance, officials said.
The council is expected to give final approval to the amendments during an upcoming meeting.
City Attorney Eric Monday said officials have received “a lot of complaints” about junked vehicles. Right off hand, he said he knew of at least six sites people have complained about, although he declined to identify them Wednesday.
One of the amendments prohibits open storage of inoperable vehicles. Such vehicles would have to be screened from public view, and a person would be able to keep only one junked vehicle outside of a fully enclosed structure.
A property owner would have 10 days to get rid of any inoperable vehicle not screened from view. If he or she did not, the city could have it taken from them and send them the bill for the removal, if the person did not request a hearing challenging the city’s complaint, an amendment shows.
City officials often have said they do not have time to ride around and look for junked vehicles and other nuisances. Complaints they lodge have been based on complaints they receive from residents.
But Monday now is on patrol.
“I’ve been driving around, looking for problems that are going to be addressed” soon, he said.
Other types of nuisances, the code indicates, include weeds and grass over 18 inches high within 50 feet of a home or business, appliances and furniture kept outdoors that are not intended for outdoor use and accumulations of food and trash that could attract mice, snakes and other types of vermin.
If someone receives a notice that he or she is harboring such a nuisance, basically the person will have three days to get rid of it unless a city official has given them more time, an amendment shows.
And, if someone does not get rid of a nuisance within that time frame, the city may get rid of it for them and send them the bill, the ordinance shows.
Under another amendment, owners of buildings that have been continuously vacant for 12 months or longer would have to register the buildings with the city’s department of community development each year.
Failure to do so would result in a $50 fine. Once the building is reoccupied, the city must be notified, the amendment shows.
The amendments “should make things (rules) clearer and easier for staff to enforce,” said City Manager Clarence Monday.
Overall, they make the ordinance less ambiguous, he said.
Also Tuesday, the council:
• Heard from Clarence Monday about potential uses for the former police academy building on Fourth Street. The academy has moved into the Henry County Public Safety building on DuPont Road.
Monday said the city aims to move its housing department to the Fourth Street location, as well as use space in the building for human resources training programs, such as instruction on city policies and procedures.
Most rooms at the municipal building uptown generally are “not conductive for a large number of employees” to be inside at one time, he said.
The council plans to discuss the issue further during a future meeting.
• Adopted a resolution confirming a recent local emergency declaration.
Storms with heavy rain and high winds May 8-9 caused minor flooding and downed power lines and trees in Martinsville, as well as caused a portion of Sam Lions Trail over a creek to collapse.
Clarence Monday said the resolution will help the city obtain federal and state disaster assistance funds if they become available.
However, “we know it’s not likely” such money will be made available, he admitted.
• Heard from Public Works Director Leon Towarnicki. He said the collapsed part of Sam Lions Trail should be repaired and reopened in about a month.
• Approved routine-type amendments to the current fiscal year’s budget.
A total of $1,665 in recovered costs and donations were accepted for the Martinsville Senior Center. The money will be used to buy program supplies.
The school fund received $117,963 in federal and state funds.
In addition, $15,000 was accepted into the schools’ federal programs fund. The document shows the money will be put toward a math program.
• Made appointments to local boards and commissions following a closed session.
Kim Adkins of Sheraton Court was appointed to the Martinsville Planning Commission to a four-year term ending in June 2012.
Debra Poirier was appointed to the Piedmont Community Services Board to a three-year term ending in June 2011.
Jim Rountree was reappointed to the Patrick Henry Community College Board to a four-year term ending in June 2012.
The council will hold a budget work session at 5:30 p.m. Monday. On the agenda is a discussion of funding for outside agencies, plus a discussion of blighted properties in the city.
Another special council meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The council will examine business plans developed for municipal funds and the Leisure Services Department. |
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