Director of Development Crystal Surdyk presents to City Council Housing Committee (August 21, 2023)
A new “Quality of Life” ticketing proposal is expected to be on the Jamestown City Council‘s voting agenda this month.
Director of Development Crystal Surdyk shared additional updates to the proposal that would allow Housing Code Enforcement Officers to directly ticket homeowners and residents for things like high grass, junk and debris, dangerous trees, and animal waste.
She said the penalties agreed to with Housing Court Judge George Panebianco include $100 for the first offense, although instances of high grass only carry a $50 fine. If the ticketed person rectifies the issue, the ticket will be dismissed. If the issue is not corrected, the ticket will double in 15 days. Surdyk said if a person ticketed refuses to pay the fine it could be sent to collections or a lien could be placed on the homeowner’s taxes.
Housing Committee Chair Marie Carrubba said there are limits set by the state for how much the city can charge for fines. She said the goal is to move the more minor cases out of Housing Court in order to allow more egregious cases to go forward.
Carrubba said the cities of Rochester and Binghamton have similar programs that Jamestown has been using as a reference for this city code change.
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