York City Council is considering an ordinance aimed at cutting down on trash and other eyesores in the city. Codes officials are advocating to be able to issue tickets to people for violations as soon as they see them.
“Things that folks pretty know they shouldn’t be doing, such as putting their trash out too soon for collection, littering, illegal dumping. The legislation would give the enforcement folks the ability to actually issue an on the spot ticket, with what we think, is a very minimal amount of fine, but hopefully enough that they don’t repeat that offense,” said York City Code Official Steven Buffington.
“Everybody that drives through city sees the trash and the debris,” said Buffington. He is pushing for the ordinance. Currently code officials send written notices through the mail.
“The goal is to give us another tool in our toolbox,” said Buffington, who believes that this is a better way to crack down on what he says are common sense violations. “If you’re grass is higher than ten inches you should pretty much know that is too high and it should be cut,” said Buffington.
The price of the ticket would increase after a person’s second violation.
Some City Council members have argued for a warning to be issued first, to avoid ticketing someone who is not aware of the rules. Buffington says the low price is the warning. “I think to legislate a warning into the ordinance may not allow it to be as affective as we would like it to be. We kept the fine low deliberately because of that,” said Buffington.
People who think they have been wrongly ticketed would have the option to appeal. “Anybody that feels grieved by this can go before a hearing officer, plead their case and a hearing officer can determine whether that ticket stands,” said Buffington.
City Council members will vote on the legislation at their next meeting on July 15th.