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ROOK U PA"E 5's d <br />Public Works Director James Davis reported that County <br />Engineers Roger Cain and Bill Meager have been working on this very <br />comprehensive ordinance which basically establishes a permitting <br />procedure for any work in County rights-of-way or easements or <br />County -owned land, but particularly the emphasis is on County <br />rights-of-way and easements. The ordinance has been before the <br />Professional Services Advisory Committee and their constructive <br />comments have been incorporated, and staff felt it is ready to come <br />before the Board for approval. This ordinance actually formalizes <br />the procedure and requirements that have been required in the past <br />and now will be made a part of our County Code. <br />Commissioner Wheeler asked how enforcement of the ordinance <br />would be handled because he felt some of the violations could take <br />place in just an hour or two. <br />Director Davis explained that most of the enforcement work and <br />monitor work will be done by two inspectors in the field, <br />supervised by Bill Meager and aided by staff in the engineering <br />department. <br />Commissioner Wheeler asked whether the fines and penalties <br />would be handled by issuing a summons to appear. <br />Commissioner Scurlock asked whether we could cite the property <br />owner rather than the vehicle owner. <br />Director Davis responded that it would depend on the activity. <br />Commissioner Scurlock was concerned that if we have strict <br />interpretation and enforcement, neighbor could use it against <br />neighbor. <br />Commissioner Wheeler was concerned with legitimate violations, <br />where parking in the right-of-way destroys the grass and obstructs <br />the view for traffic. He felt we have had difficulty in issuing <br />summonses for those violations, and he asked the County attorney <br />about the status of the statute. <br />County Attorney Vitunac responded that the state law is <br />available now, wherein if a violation happens so fast we cannot get <br />them administratively, we can go to the state attorney. <br />Commissioner Wheeler asked whether our code enforcement <br />officers currently have the ability to issue summonses. <br />Assistant County Attorney O'Brien responded that Environmental <br />Planning Chief Roland DeBlois is working to give code enforcement <br />officers that authority, and once this ordinance is in place the <br />sheriff will be able to issue citations for violations. In the <br />past the sheriff has not issued citations because in their view we <br />had no ordinance authorizing them to do so. <br />Director Davis directed the Board to page 7 of the ordinance <br />which addresses that issue. <br />32 <br />