Brandon Twp.- The township has never had ordinances specifically governing property maintenance, nor waste haulers.
Later this year, there may be both, with benefits to residents of recycling options, as well as a remedy to unsightly homes and falling property values.
At a Feb. 8 special meeting, Building Director Bill Dinnan was present to discuss the merits of each and take input from township board members on what they would like to see in such ordinances. Fire Chief David Kwapis was also on hand to discuss the need for adoption of a new international fire code to pair with the international property maintenance code.
At the direction of the board, Dinnan will begin crafting the waste hauler and property maintenance codes and Kwapis will continue reviewing the new international fire code, which was just recently released, for adoption by the township.
A solid waste ordinance has been proposed as part of the township’s strategic plan for the last few years. Dinnan gave the board sample ordinances, taken from Groveland Township and Orion Township.
Supervisor Kathy Thurman said adoption of such an ordinance would allow the township to ensure sanitation trucks are in good working condition as they would be inspected annually. Trucks would need to renew permits annually and waste haulers would also be required to offer the option of recycling to township residents.
‘Our number one objective is to make sure garbage trucks are roadworthy and not leaking garbage on the roads,? said Thurman. ‘We aren’t going to have anything addressing who can and can’t haul in the township. Anyone can apply for a licence. We are not trying to limit choices for the residents.?
While Thurman requested a waste hauler ordinance be brought to the board, the property maintenance code is something that Dinnan has proposed and he brought before the board several photographic examples of why the ordinance is needed, including township homes which have peeling paint and shingles or siding that is missing.
‘A property maintenance code will allow me to require people to maintain their homes to the extent that the code requires,? said Dinnan. ‘General maintenance is what it boils down to? some people do better than others.?
Currently, Dinnan only has legal recourse if a building is deemed a safety hazard. He isn’t able to enforce correction of unsightly homes that aren’t dangerous.
‘If paint peels off a house to the shingles, I can’t make the homeowners fix it,? he said. ‘Tarps on roofs because the roof needs to be replaced, I can’t make them do anything about it. Instead, the neighbors get to look at this stuff. If you don’t maintain housing stock, property values plummet and it just gets worse. You don’t have to be pristine, but just have some basic standards. This whole thing is for me to protect the guy that does maintain his house. Why should he have to look at the neighbor’s house that isn’t being maintained? That isn’t right.?
‘If you cant afford to maintain a piece of property, you should find somewhere else to live,? he continued. ‘A government agency still needs to protect the overall, not just the individual. If you don’t have a basis for guidelines, it’s a free-for-all.?
Thurman hopes the ordinances will return to the board for approval by this summer.