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Wickliffe council orders changes to open‑burning and fence rules, asks law director to draft residency restriction for certain offenders
Summary
At its May 12 meeting the Wickliffe City Council authorized the law director to amend the city's open‑burning and fence chapters to add warning language and spacing/photo requirements, and directed staff to draft legislation addressing residency restrictions for registered offenders, following a Legislation & Welfare Committee review.
WICKLIFFE, Ohio — The Wickliffe City Council voted May 12 to direct the law director to revise local code on open burning and fences and authorized drafting of a residency prohibition for certain registered offenders.
The council moved after a May 5 Legislation & Welfare Committee meeting that reviewed several code sections and reported recommendations to the full council. Council members voted to: authorize the law director to modify Chapter 15.21 (open burning) to include a warnings sequence in the penalties; revise Chapter 13.23 (fences) to prohibit "fence on fence" except where a minimum 4‑foot separation allows maintenance and to require photos with fence permit applications; and ask the law director to draft legislation for a residency prohibition for registered offenders that would include parks and playgrounds in the restricted locations.
The committee's discussion included Fire Department enforcement practice and legal limits. "I would guess that only about 10% of the people fully comply with the regulation," Chief Grossman told the committee when describing how fire personnel respond to complaints and issue warnings before citation. The committee recommended codifying the warning sequence in the penalty section because the fire department lacks direct citation authority and typically issues warnings first.
On the fence measure, committee members discussed allowing a second, parallel fence if property owners leave sufficient distance for maintenance. Building department staff reviewed a drawing showing a gated access between fences to permit upkeep; the committee recommended adding language to require that access when applicable. The fence change also would require applicants to submit photos of the existing fence and proposed location with permit applications.
Regarding residency restrictions for registered offenders, the committee and police leadership said the city currently relies on the county for some oversight but that the prosecutor and police chief recommended local legislation to be more proactive. Councilman Jaworski asked that parks and playgrounds be included in any draft language; the committee had no objection.
Council members approved each direction to the law director by roll call vote.
The council instructed the law director and police chief to work together on the draft residency ordinance; no ordinance text was adopted at the May 12 meeting.
Officials said further drafts will return to committee for review before any formal ordinance vote.
