ALLIANCE ‒ Alliance City Council on Dec. 16 approved a streamlining of its property codes.
The changes impact all property − not just rentals.
Here is what’s new:
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The Board of Appeals expands from three to five members; each term is three years. The added spots would be for a landlord and a tenant.
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There is less time for a property owner to fix the issues and available penalties would not include jail time.
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Any person who failed to comply with a notice of violation or order would be guilty of a civil infraction − not criminal, initially − and would be fined $100 per violation. If other citations for the same violation come within 12 months, the fine becomes $250 per violation. Both can be appealed.
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A person would face a criminal charge − an unclassified misdemeanor − and face up to a $1,000 fine in court, if they stay in noncompliance or the situation is severe.
Councilman Phillip Mastroianni explained the changes were an update to the already existing International Property Maintenance Code, which City Council adopted Oct. 4, 2021. They have nothing to do with a separate proposal to regulate rentals.
Law Director Caitlyn Weyer previously said the changes were necessary to streamline the process because it took too long to resolve problems.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Alliance City Council streamlines property code violations