3 proposed ordinances aimed at reducing blight, nuisance calls in city

By Owen Boss

GARDNER — Mayor Mark Hawke, in collaboration with other city officials, has developed three new ordinances that will make property owners financially responsible for abandoned buildings across the city. At a City Council meeting Monday, the ordinances were referred to the Public Safety Committee for further review. The proposed ordinances would impose fines on property owners for unsightly building nuisances, properties that are left vacant or abandoned, and locations that frequently sound false security alarms. The first ordinance, which deals with nuisances on property, targets property owners whose buildings are dilapidated or unsightly. Under the new ordinance, violators would have 10 days to correct the problem before the city fines them. The second ordinance, aimed to eliminate the numerous vacant or abandoned buildings across the city, would require owners to report to the city when a building will be abandoned. The law would impose guidelines that would make sure that owners would continue to secure and maintain the building or face a daily fine of $300. The third and final ordinance would deal with properties that frequently sound false fire or security alarms. The ordinance states that a business that sounds more than one false alarm in a six-month period would face fines that range from $25 for a second offense to $150 for a seventh. Mr. Hawke said that the new ordinances city officials outlined are based on those that already exist in other parts of the state, such as Revere and Worcester. “Revere came out with a program like this about a year ago,” said Mr. Hawke. “We looked at their statutes and through a cooperative effort between myself, the city planner, the fire chief, the police chief, we formed sort of a task force to craft these ordinances.” Although they were separated into three separate ordinances for legal purposes, Mr. Hawke said the laws will function together to serve one larger purpose. “There are some very well-known buildings in town that are owned by people that live out of town,” said Mr. Hawke. “Some of these owners have allowed these buildings to fall on hard times, and they are now posing a danger to our city.” Mr. Hawke added that city officials have very few options when it comes to reprimanding these owners, and the new ordinances will require owners to keep their buildings to a certain standard. “When this ordinance is hopefully passed, it will give the city a new enforcement arm with which we can add monetary burdens on these owners,” said Mr. Hawke. “The point of these ordinances is not necessarily to prosecute the owners of the buildings, it is to stimulate redevelopment in our city.” oboss@thegardnernews.com

Appeared on Page 1 on 5/8/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 110)