By Lauren Waters
Correspondent

ALLOUEZ – A discussion took place at the Allouez village board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 19, regarding how to handle properties which are repeat code violators.

Code Enforcement Officer and Safety Coordinator Mike Lauder said there are approximately five to six residents who are continuous code violators, and dealing with the repeat offenses has become a burden.

“If I have to go back to a residence four or five times with different warnings, letters and citations, then that residence is deemed a nuisance property,” said Lauder. “It becomes time-consuming and costly, and it takes away from other duties.”

Examples of code violations are garbage on the property, sidewalks not being shoveled, vehicles parking on lawns, etc.

Lauder said he’s looking for a way to better enforce these repeat code violators.

“We will first address this with the owner or tenant, and if they don’t comply, there could be a further fine or charge for what they’re doing,” he said.

Lauder said he occasionally takes a directed enforcement officer with him, which is adding to the time and cost it takes to handle a case.

Trustee Lynn Green agreed.

“These are our problem properties that require an inordinate amount of time and village resources,” said Green. “And we need a better mechanism to deal with that.”

Village President Jim Rafter said first the board needs to exactly define what a nuisance property is, and then the goal would be to find a way to help the residence to not be a nuisance property anymore.

“I’m not opposed to finding ways to enforce our code and policies, but the education part of it is important,” said Rafter. “I’d be skeptical about just adding fines, because that’s not necessarily solving the problem, so anything we do I think should be focused on solving the problem.”

The board discussed having a property owner who is a repeat code violator write a letter to outline what occurred and how the resident plans to correct the issue.

This would show accountability and could be used in court if the problem continues, said Lauder.

Rafter said it’s wise to investigate this issue further and address the details in future agendas.

Pop-up campers will need to be stored

In a previous board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the seasonal storing of trailers and campers was discussed, particularly in regards to pop-up campers.

Currently, the village ordinance states all non-seasonal trailers and campers need to be removed from driveways during the winter months, but pop-up campers are allowed to remain in the owner’s driveway year-round.

At the Oct. 15 meeting, Lauder proposed changing the code for storing seasonal camping equipment to be consistent for all campers, including pop-up campers.

In the Nov. 19 meeting, the amending of the ordinance was unanimously approved by the board.
Rafter said this change will take effect in the fall of 2020.