1995-11-27 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Sweeps: The City performs three mowing sweeps each year. The purpose of a sweep is to have undeveloped and vacant, unmaintained properties within a specific area of the City mowed, as much as possible within a one week to ten day period. This results in a uniform, cleaner appearance within a neighborhood. Each sweep is based on a master list of properties identified on block cards. Working from apre-complied list greatly reduces the time required for field identification of properties. To remain effective, the master list is periodically updated by the inspectors. Field Identification: Each inspector, when working within a targeted sector assigns priorities as follows: 1. Monitoring for unpenmitted construction 2. Scheduled mowing sweeps 3. Complaints 4. Field identified violations Inspectors are expected to identify and initiate abatement of ordinance violations within their targeted sectors. The amount of time devoted to self-initiated cases will have to vary based on overall work load. Inspectors do however, strive to spend at least one hour of daily field time working on self-initiated cases. This time includes both violation identification and follow-up inspections. IV. Summary Please recognize that the primary duty of the inspectors is enforcement of the building codes of the City which at the inspector level, is accomplished by performance of construction inspections requested on a daily basis. Between January 1st and August 31st, over 2,500 construction inspections were performed, 403 code enforcement cases, processed seventeen dangerous buildings and 820 pieces of property were mowed. We hope that the approach described herein will allow us to maintain this level of service and at the same time improve our nuisance abatement. The more proactive enforcement approach and quicker movement to court citation for unresolved cases will most likely encounter initial resistance. However, in the long term, it is over belief the program outlined in the preceding paragraphs will have a positive impact on our City. And while inspectors will be working violations in a somewhat more "by the numbers" manner, it is a given that every citizen and contractor will be treated in a professional and courteous manner at all times and in every situation. The Inspection Services Division, pursuant to City Council recognition of the need for increased nuisance abatement, is committed to making La Porte a cleaner, safer, more attractive city in which to live and work. 4