(This is a duplicate of http://depotdazed.com – it you’re looking for additional comments, look there.)
Section 10 of the Town Code, even the shortened version on the Town’s website has some interesting information on how the Town could raise revenue without raising taxes.
It is something called Codes Enforcement. From Sec.10-11 (e) of the Town Code:
(e) In addition to any criminal penalties provided under this chapter, any person who violates any provision of this chapter may be liable to the Town in a civil action for damages. The civil penalty for one such violation shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00) except that the civil penalty for commencement of a land disturbing activity without an approved plan shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Each day during which the violation is found to have existed shall constitute a separate offense. In no event shall a series of specified violations arising out of the same operative set of facts result in civil penalties which exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), except that a series of violations arising from the commencement of landdisturbing activities without an approved plan for any site may result in a civil penalty of not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). Pursuit of a civil penalty may be in lieu of criminal prosecution. The following schedule, which is nonexclusive, of specific additional violations, with the prescribed civil penalty, shall also be in force:
- Failure to properly install and maintain perimeter controls . . . $100.00 per violation per day
- Failure to properly install and maintain temporary stone construction entrance . .$100.00 per violation per day
- Sediment or debris transported onto paved public road by vehicular traffic or runoff . . .$100.00 per violation per day
- Failure to install and maintain storm drain inlet protection . . . $100.00 per violation per day
- Failure to install and maintain storm drain outlet protection . . . $100.00 per violation per day
- Failure to install and maintain vegetative, structural, or any other measure as specified in the minimum standards . . . $100.00 per violation per day
- Failure to seed and mulch disturbed areas within fourteen (14) days of notice to comply .. . $100.00 per violation per day
When I first saw this, my immediate response was “Good grief, we could pay for the Aquatic Center in less than 2 years if all of this was enforced (given the number of observed and reported violations I’m aware of and how long they have been going on). But, you have take into account cost of staff to handle this. So, okay, 5 years to pay off the Aquatic Center.
There are areas where they have gone to the General Assembly to create ways to utilize volunteers to help make this type of enforcement occur:
§ 15.2-1132. Volunteer property maintenance and zoning inspectors in certain cities.
The Cities of Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Richmond and Virginia Beach may provide that the agency charged with the enforcement of local ordinances adopted pursuant to §§ 15.2-901, 15.2-903, 15.2-904, 15.2-905 and 15.2-908 or city charter relating to the external maintenance of property or local zoning ordinances relating to motor vehicles or trailers as defined in § 46.2-100 may utilize supervised, trained and qualified volunteers to issue notices of noncompliance with such ordinances. Such volunteers shall have any and all immunity provided to an employee of the locality doing an identical job.
(Acts 2000, c. 673; 2002, cc. 31, 451; 2005, cc. 265, 318.)
What a great way to make sure that all of the area is covered! Oh, and that reduces expesnses so now we could pay for the Aquatic Center is maybe 3 years. Remember though that this is only one small section where such violations exist.
(To the person who suggested I be a write in candidate for Mayor: You wouldn’t want that to happen unless you wanted to see stuff like this developed with the Town of Christiansburg.)
