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Show Councilujoman nry Lc-ni.iar GupLiins Ciiy Legislation for Confers Deneffa plaints. Mr. Smith was too busy with other duties. When asked tocommenton this situation, Mrs. Lehmer.' said that if this is indeed the present city policy, it should be changed. "Here is a situation where the city has the power to make the city safe and beautify it all at the owner's expense, where it belongs. If Glen Smith won't act he should be fired. If he needs more help, we should find the funds to provide him the manpower to start the ball rolling. As the elected representative rep-resentative of the people, we. should surely respect their, wishes amply voiced in the; recent NDTS surveythat 'dilapidated old buildings should be restored or come down.' " By Mary C. Lehmer Two Park City girls moved mov-ed out recently from their Park Avenue rental. The toilet and plumbingfacilities in the old house were a hazard haz-ard to health and the electrical elec-trical conditions constituted a danger to the girls' lives as well as to the owner's property such as it was. The only thing really good about the house was the rent. It was good and high! The landlord refused to put the house in a livable and safe condition. He told the girls that if they didn't like it they could move out because be-cause he had plenty of other people willing to move in at that price without his spending spend-ing any money for improvements. improve-ments. The girls moved out. At the NDTS meeting with the townspeople on Aug. 22, the girls approached Council woman Mary Lehmer, who is an attorney, to ask what they could have done, if anything, any-thing, under those circumstances. circum-stances. Mrs. Lehmer told them she was sorry they were unaware un-aware that Park City could have answered their call for help without any expense to them. Mrs. Lehmer explained explain-ed to them and the Park Record herewith presents Mrs. Lehmer's explanation for the enlightenment of its readers, that Park City has legislation empowering the city to require an owner to make repairs to correct conditions con-ditions which constitute a present fire hazard or danger to the safety or health of the occupant or anyone else who might be upon the premises such as a visitor, delivery man, or children playing in and around such a premise, whether occupied or vacant. Upon complaint by anyone that such a condition exists, the Park City Zoning Administrator, Admin-istrator, presently Glen Smith, is required to investigate invest-igate the premises. If he finds that any of the above conditions exist (even to the extent of uncut weeds around the property which constitutes a fire hazard), owner must be notified in writing of the conditions found deficient and to be corrected cor-rected by a fixed date. The owner has a time thereafter in which to appeal the Zoning Administrator's findings and edict to a Park City Board of Appeals. If the Zoning Administrator is found to be totally in error, the complaint is dismissed, but if any part or all of his findings are upheld, the owner own-er must correct the deficient conditions within the required requir-ed time set. If he does not comply, the city may then tear down the property or repair it, whichever appears appropriate, approp-riate, and add the costs incurred in-curred by the city to the owner's property taxes. The amount owed to the city accrues interest until paid and if not paid in full within four years thereafter, the property is sold at public pub-lic auction at the next May tax sale. The city is paid in full from the proceeds of the tax sale. Mrs. Lehmer stated that persons wishing to invoke the aid of this legislation to correct weed, fire, safety, and health hazards in Park City should bring the matter to the attention of the City Council in writing, with sufficient suf-ficient particulars for the Zoning Administrator to act on the complaint. Other people present at the town meeting said that some people had already gone to Mr. Smith with complaints com-plaints of this type but that nothing had happened. Mrs. Lehmer said that those people should then go to the City Manager, who supervise super-vise the Z oning Administrator, Adminis-trator, and report the lack of action. She was informed that some of these people had already gone to the City Manager Man-ager to complain and were advised by him that the city had no manpower to investigate invest-igate and act on these com- |
