City Council members say they'll push the Code Enforcement Board to be more aggressive with violators.
By JANET ZINK
Published October 15, 2004
TAMPA - Saying they hear a stream of complaints about the city's code enforcement efforts, Tampa City Council members vowed to get tougher with violators.
They voted Thursday to hold a workshop this month with the city-appointed, volunteer Code Enforcement Board to encourage them to crack down on offenders.
"It's time for the Code Enforcement Board not to be as lenient as they possibly can be," said council member Mary Alvarez.
The latest complaints came from about a dozen East Tampa residents who attended the City Council meeting Thursday to voice concerns about a pallet company on N 37th Street. They say the business brings trucks into their neighborhood and attracts rats and snakes.
"It's a public nuisance," Toinette Gaines said.
Land development manager Thom Snelling said the property is zoned for that type of business, but its buffering and other site design elements don't meet city code. The owner has received a citation and is working to fix the problems.
Council members said they want the case resolved soon.
Too often, they said, code enforcement actions drag on for months, or people ignore citations altogether and suffer no consequences.
"I don't want it to be known that the city of Tampa is all talk and no action," said council member Shawn Harrison.
Code enforcement issues rank as the top complaint he gets from constituents, he said. Many involve overgrown lawns, excessive trash or dilapidated buildings.
State law prohibits cities from foreclosing on the primary residence of a homeowner who refuses to meet city code, but foreclosure is an option for other types of property, including businesses. However, the city hasn't taken that step in years, said assistant city attorney Jorge Martin.
Mayor Pam Iorio has made code enforcement a priority for her administration. She turned code enforcement into its own department and increased its staff. Code enforcement officials have conducted neighborhood sweeps and issued more citations, she said.
"We have given directives to foreclose on property where we can to force compliance," she said Thursday after the council meeting.
Still, that has to be a last resort.
"Even being more aggressive," she said, "you still have the due process of the property owner."
