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City will try friendly code enforcement
By BRADY DENNIS, Times Staff Writer ZEPHYRHILLS -- Got an old washer sitting on the porch? A clunker rusting in the front yard? Grass growing up to your knees? Not to worry. Zephyrhills city officials want to help. City Manager Steve Spina and building official Bill Burgess this week proposed sweeping changes in the city's methods -- and its attitude -- when it comes to code enforcement. "We want to try not to be so punitive, to be more of a partner (with residents)," Spina said of the plan. "We want to provide information and be helpful instead of being like Big Brother, slapping a notice on the door and saying, 'Do this or else.' " The biggest proposed change is the addition of a full-time code enforcement officer to educate residents and investigate suspected violations. If approved, the position would be filled after the beginning of the next fiscal year in October. The pay would start at about $22,000 per year. Currently, Burgess and two other building officials juggle the 30 or more code enforcement complaints each month. "As time goes by, it's been harder for us to keep up," Burgess said. "When you are issuing permits and doing building inspections, code enforcement takes a back seat." Spina said the new code enforcement officer would spend time assembling and distributing a handbook to residents that contains useful contact numbers -- the landfill, sanitation and city yard, tire removal services, utility services and the like. The manual also would condense the city codes for easy reference, he said. "In a community like this, someone like a 78-year-old widow might not be able to get rid of an old car," Spina said. "Some of the issues are that people just don't know how to get rid of a tire or where to deposit oil. We could be more proactive and offer solutions to people." Burgess also suggested dividing the city into thirds or quarters, then assigning the code enforcement officer to concentrate on a certain quadrant for several months at a time. Both men said they don't intend to ask for stricter codes. "We have good codes in place and ways to enforce them, it's just a matter of having time to go out and make people aware of them," Burgess said. "If you can get people to want to do this instead of forcing it down their throats, you get a better response." Spina said the city intends to do its part, too. He said he would like to see workers create small neighborhood parks where there is vacant city land. Changes might include new landscaping or adding benches. "We just need to get people to buy into it," he said. "It's vital to the health of the whole community to have good code enforcement." -- Brady Dennis covers the city of Zephyrhills and crime in east Pasco. To reach him, call (352) 521-5757, ext. 23, or toll free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6108, then 23. His e-mail address is dennis@sptimes.com.
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From today's Pasco Times |
