Putting some teeth to Sublimity ordinances

Sublimity City Council recently took steps toward sharpening up its solicitation ordinance.

Don’t be surprised to hear of the council looking at some other ordinances this year with aims to do the same.

During its Monday, Jan. 9, meeting the council heard the first reading of an ordinance that’s been amended to provide weightier enforcement options regarding door-to-door solicitation in town. That issue came up in December, and City Administrator David Marshall has been working on the language with aims to bring it to council for a second reading in February.

At the same meeting a local resident addressed the council about inconsiderate neighbors, and that discussion ultimately touched back to the topic of municipal ordinances.

Toward the meeting’s end Jim Fanning approached the council to apprise it of litter, noise and other issues emanating from and apartment complex in his Starr Street neighborhood, not far from Church Park.

“This might be just a minor problem to you guys, but I live next door to a 4-plex that wasn’t too bad when we moved to town,” said Fanning, a 13-year Sublimity resident who lives near PanezaNellie Breadstick Shoppe. “But (the 4-plex) has got trashier and trashier and trashier; it looks like a ghetto.”

Fanning said his wife has to clean up the street in front of their house several times a week due to debris originating from the complex. He said he’s also had to deal with oil spots washing down the street from junk cars, enough of it that it actually killed vegetation on his premises.

In addition to that, Fanning said other nuisances emanating from the complex included hours of loud, and likely illegal, fireworks set off on July 4.

“On July 4 last year, for an hour and a half to two hours, they (set off) very loud fireworks – not the kind of stuff you go down to K-Mart and buy,” he said. “The next morning there was trash everywhere. And nobody picks it up, except my wife.

“My wife has emailed the owners, and last response we got back was basically the amount of people that live there that’s the way it is,” he added. “I’d like some help if possible.”

Mayor Raymond Heuberger tabbed City Attorney Steve Tabor for his thoughts.

“I think it’s probably just a matter of Alan and the staff keeping tabs on it and giving notices as required if it’s not up to the ordinances,” Tabor said, referring to the public works director. “It probably just needs some more attention.”

Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Tom Barber, who patrols Sublimity, indicated that he was aware of the situation and complications with the enforcement.

“David has brought up to me the nuisance ordinance, just like every other ordinance, needs to be revisited and given teeth,” Barber said. “Which gives me ammunition too.

“Right now the way it stands, there’s no teeth in the ordinances,” he added. “We can send letters. We can say please. We can shake our fingers at them – and that’s all we can do.”

Marshall asked Fanning and another resident on hand to speak to the council for the location of their perceived nuisance, indicating that he intended to personally look into it.

In other Sublimity City Council business:

• Tabor administered the oath of office to Mayor Ray Heuberger and the new 2017 councilors Michael Taylor and Jim Crowther. Jim Kingsbury was appointed council president, who conductions meetings in the absence of the mayor.
• The council approved a 1.75 percent cost of living allowance for city employees, retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1.
• Marshall apprised the council of a number of developments in the making, including an examination of business licenses and fees; the possibility of adding another shelter to Church Park which could be rented by groups; the possibility of a “Puppy Parade” with an overarching aim at increasing county dog licensing; improvements to the system for paying utility bills and other city fees.

“We are by far the least expensive city in the state for business licenses,” the city administrator advised the panel.

He also noted that park-rental shelter requests have been active early on in the year. Taylor observed that the full reservation slate precluded the city from having movies in the park last summer.

“Our parks are very popular and I think we should do what we can to accommodate (users of) what are obviously very attractive parks,” Marshall said.

• Councilor Gene Ditter discussed planning and funding for National Night Out, which takes place the first Tuesday of each August.

Ditter reminded that the city holds it in conjunction with First Tuesday event, and that Sheriff’s office has taken a lead role in the past, but the event is a city function, and the city must be involved soliciting donations from the community and boosting the funding.

“I say we solicit the funds, see what we get and let the city pick up the balance,” Crowther recommended.

• Heuberger said he looked into possibilities of getting power to the Sublimity entry sign at the south end of town, near Hwy. 22. Running power to it appear cost ineffective. Ditter proposed potentially increasing lamination of the solar lamp that’s currently in place, possibly adding a second lamp. 

• Marshall announced that the next Sublimity 2030 meeting would take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 15. That is the second future planning meeting. The first was Nov. 30 during which several working groups were established: Parks, Paths, and Trails; H2O Lost & Found; Crisis Response and Recovery; Sublime Enterprise.
• Barber said there have been no new incidents of telephone scams, a number of which were reported late last year.

Contact: Justin Much, jmuch@StatesmanJournal.com; 503-769-6338, cell 503-508-8157 or follow at twitter.com/justinmuch

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What's next

What: Next scheduled Sublimity City Council meeting

When: 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13

Where: Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson St.

Contact: 503-769-5475; info@cityofsublimity.org

Web: www.cityofsublimity.org