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Belleair Beach to fight blight
By DOUG WATKINS
Article published on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2006 |
BELLEAIR BEACH – After hearing many property owners give accolades to an ordinance designed to eliminate the blight of vacated and abandoned buildings, the City Council Monday night gave it a thumbs up. But not before the ordinance’s language and sphere of authority were challenged.
The ordinance includes definitions and rules of construction, appearance standards, demolition of buildings, responsibilities of owners and occupants duties of the city’s Board of Adjustments and other issues pertaining to the enforcement of city code, including right of entry and right of appeal.
“I’m in favor of this ordinance and I applaud City Manager Reid Silverboard’s effort … assembling this ordinance was a monumental task,” said resident Skip Chittenden. “But I wonder if some of the language is sufficient.”
Chittenden questioned whether all the ordinance’s criteria were measurable and said words such as “excessive” are not definitive.
City Attorney Paul Marino said that the language is acceptable as drafted.
“We will clean up any typographical errors, but the language is standard usage in such documents and does not need to be changed,” Marino said.
“I think we should have standards to be followed, but I’m opposed to giving the city right of entry on probable cause,” said Councilman Jeff Coulson. “We have to be careful not to become a police state. Probable cause for right of entry is very subjective.”
“Probable cause protects the property owner,” Marino said. “It is the tool we use to go to court to request an administrative search warrant. Protecting the rights of our residents is of primary concern.”
Marino said that the ordinance does not give the council carte blanche authority.
“The Board of Adjustments has the final word,” he said.
Councilman Lynn Rives agreed with Coulson on the right of entry issue and the two cast nay votes as the ordinance passed as written.
In other action, the council unanimously passed an ordinance that extends the completion time allowed someone building a house from 12 months to 18 months.
The council also unanimously passed an ordinance designed to minimize traffic hazards at street intersections by eliminating structures and limiting landscaping that obstructs motorists’ views.
The council approved a proposed ordinance to establish purchasing procedures. Under the proposed ordinance, the city manager may authorize expenditures up to $3,000 and may authorize expenditures exceeding $3,000 up to $10,000 upon requesting at least three quotes and receiving at least two written bids.
All expenditures exceeding $10,000 must include the issuance of a request for bids and the receipt of sealed bids, which shall be publicly opened.
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Article published on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2006
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