City going proactive

The Norman Transcript

November 28, 2007 12:24 am

— Twelve areas to be added for proactive code enforcement
By Carol Cole-Frowe
Transcript Staff Writer
The City of Norman will be stepping up its proactive code enforcement in 12 additional areas, after Norman city councilmembers approved the measure at their regular meeting Tuesday.
The new proactive areas have a higher number of complaints than other areas of the city. The 12 areas will be added to two Core Norman neighborhoods near the University of Oklahoma currently receiving proactive enforcement.
The proactive code enforcement would be used for visible violations from public property including high grass, junk, limbs, illegal parking on private property, dilapidated structures, inoperable vehicles, illegal signs and other violations.
"The proactive code compliance has been an overwhelming success in the two areas," said Joyce Collard, whose Oakhurst addition will be one of the new enforcement areas. "I think it's a very good, cost-effective program."
The protests to proactive code enforcement were mostly the same -- there still won't be enough of it.
"It's kind of somewhat like taxation without representation," said Mark Campbell, who said the whole city needs proactive enforcement. "All areas are being taxed, but only some areas are being patrolled."
Roger Gallagher said it is a huge quality of life issue when considering areas with lots of rental properties or apartments.
"I would like to have a little wider coverage," Gallagher said, asking that weekend patrols be increased. "Weekends are the most abusive times. ... We expect the same service as the rest of the city gets."
Mayor Cindy Rosenthal said the plan is to expand the proactive code compliance as city resources become available.
"I share Mr. Gallagher's problem," Rosenthal said. "I'm not in a proactive area either."
Revitalization director Linda Price said the whole goal is to gain compliance. In areas where there has been proactive code enforcement, violations occur less frequently as residents get more acclimated to the change.
Norman code inspectors will be driving those neighborhoods. The rest are enforced on a "complaint-only" basis.
The City employs four code inspectors, with plans to hire a fifth. It would enforce the program with current employees.
Several of the new areas also are in "Core Norman," along with areas north and south of SH 9 around 24th Avenue SW, an area south of the Holiday Inn, east of the mobile home park on West Main Street, around Louise Lane, Oakhurst addition, Queenstown Heights and Eagle Cliff. A map of the proactive code enforcement areas is on the City of Norman's Web site at www.normanok.gov/planning/Revitalization/ProactiveCodeEnforcement.htm.
Councilmembers also split their vote 7-2 not to change ward boundaries, despite a difference in estimated population from the largest to the smallest wards of up to 19 percent.
Ward 5 councilmember Rachel Butler and Ward 6 councilmember David Hopper voted "nay."
Butler said she appreciated the job the Reapportionment Committee did, but several other councilmembers cited a lack of stability in several of the areas that were proposed to be moved from one ward to another. Some wards have been in a different ward almost every time a new ward map comes out.
"Somehow, we have to have some consistency," said Ward 7 councilmember Doug Cubberley. "I think we need to minimize the ping-pong areas."
The ward maps will be required to be redrawn after the next U.S. Census in 2010.
Carol Cole-Frowe 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com