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Mayor urges council to review code-enforcement process, cites Garza Dirt Works and fire risk
Summary
Mayor McAuley told the Clyde City Council on April 15 that persistent code-enforcement problems — pointing to the Garza Dirt Works property and other long-running nuisances — require a council-level discussion on enforcement resources and mechanisms.
Clyde — At the April 15 Clyde City Council meeting, Mayor McAuley urged the council to convene a substantive discussion about the city’s code-enforcement mechanisms, citing a persistent nuisance at the Garza Dirt Works property and the risk it poses to firefighters and the community.
“I am not in favor of that operation continuing,” Mayor McAuley said when describing the Garza Dirt Works site. “As far as I’m concerned, it is operating illegally because it has not been rezoned for the type of work that's going on there.” He said the property has been unsightly for years and that the city has a duty to address long-term public-safety and appearance concerns. McAuley noted the city’s fire chief had expressed worry about the possibility of a fire at the site.
The mayor compared the site to another property, the Keegan Farm north of Route 101, and said that unresolved conditions there motivated his concern. He urged the council to reassess whether existing enforcement procedures and staff capacity are adequate, and cautioned that the city manager should not be expected to carry all enforcement responsibilities alone.
McAuley referenced Zoning Director Ken Winky and city management while describing the workload: he said Winky appears overwhelmed and that the council needs to consider how to provide “relief” and ensure ordinances are enforced. The mayor did not propose a specific ordinance or set a timeline for action during the meeting; he asked that the council schedule a discussion on enforcement mechanisms at a future meeting.
No formal motions or votes were taken on code enforcement during the April 15 meeting. Council members acknowledged the concern; Councilman Greg McMaster previously praised the city’s emergency responders during council remarks but offered no motion related to enforcement.
The mayor’s remarks were part of council members’ general comments and not a separate agenda item. Staff and council did not produce a plan for enforcement changes on the record at the meeting.
