Draft Goal
Advance the administration and understanding of local laws and ordinances. 77% of survey respondents said that code enforcement is important or very important.
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Residents need to be informed of their local laws and ordinances. This information can be disseminated through use of a town newsletter, website, informational booklets and/or public information forums. Involve enforcement personnel and town justices in developing the content of the information distributed.
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Review of wording and legal enforceability of local laws to give the code enforcement personnel the tools needed for effective enforcement. Results of the survey indicate that there are code enforcement concerns in such areas of signage, trash, litter and debris, junk vehicles, property maintenance, open burning, and unsafe buildings. Many current laws are lacking in specific definitions, are ambiguous, and penalties are inadequate.
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Provide for adequate staffing and training of enforcement personnel. Survey results show that there are more residents dissatisfied than very satisfied with current code enforcement. 81% of survey respondents said that strict enforcement of town ordinances is important, and 38% say it is very important.
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Work towards enhancing police presence. Survey response indicates that 60% are satisfied with police, although nearly as many are dissatisfied as very satisfied. Furthermore, 36% responded that they were dissatisfied with speed enforcement.
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Regulate the location of adult bookstores. 85% of survey responses say that this issue is important and 63% say that it is very important. Review current wording and legal enforceability of local laws for adult entertainment facilities in order to address the residents’ strong importance of this issue.
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Retain laws banning landfills – 87% of survey responses say this is an important role and 64% say it is very important. Review current town laws banning waste management facilities to ensure their adequacy to support this issue.