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November 9, 1999
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<br />A regular, semi-monthly meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville,
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<br />Virginia, was held on November 9, 1999, in the Council Chamber, City Hall, beginning
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<br />at 7:02 P. M., with Mayor Mark Crabtree presiding. Council Members present included:
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<br />Mark A. Crabtree, Mayor; M. Gene Teague, Vice Mayor; and Council Members Bruce
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<br />H. T. Dallas, Elizabeth H. Haskell, and Terry L. Roop.
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<br />Following delivery of the invocation by Council Member Roop, Mayor Crabtree
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<br />welcomed everyone to the meeting.
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<br />With no objection from Council, Chris Whitlow, Community Development,
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<br />presented the Staff Report on the Property Maintenance Code at this time:
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<br />"Thanks to Fred Gordon, Brenda Prillaman, Angle Saunders,
<br />Leon Towarnicki, Pat Conrad, and David Worthy for their
<br />work on this program. In January 1996, Council adopted this
<br />program to focus on inoperative vehicles, building
<br />maintenance, and property nuisance. In July 1997, Council
<br />adopted the BOCA National Property Maintenance Code,
<br />which replaced the previous three ordinances. The purpose
<br />is to ensure public safety, health, and welfare through proper
<br />building maintenance and minimum standards of
<br />construction. The general requirements include exterior
<br />(building/structure, storage of inoperative vehicles, weeds,
<br />trash) and interior (building/structure, garbage, rubbish,
<br />infestation). The process follows: complaint, initial
<br />inspection, property/owner research, notice(s) of,, violation,
<br />follow-up inspections and meeting with owner; continued
<br />notices of violation, agreement to abate violations, final
<br />follow-up inspection, forward to City Attorney. After ten days
<br />of notice or second notice, re-inspections vary. If it goes to
<br />the City Attorney, it goes to court for civil penalties. Eighteen
<br />cases have gone to him. Charges are accumulative to
<br />$1,000. Average resolution time frames are: inoperative
<br />motor vehicles 20-30 days, public nuisance 30-120 days,
<br />and property maintenance 3-9 months. The program has
<br />nearly tripled since its inception in 1996, from 336
<br />complaints to 823. Results include: 500+ vehicles cited,
<br />estimated voluntary compliance-300, estimated towed-200;
<br />1100+ properties cited, estimated pending-100; 650+ lots
<br />cleaned/mowed by City; 20+ demolitions completed by City,
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