Lewisburg council defers adoption of international property maintenance code to September

The Lewisburg City Council voted to defer consideration of Ordinance 25-11, a proposed replacement of Chapter 13 of the municipal code with the International Property Maintenance Code, until the council’s September work session so staff can draft amendments on fines and repeat-offender provisions.

City staff explained the international code is a commonly used model that would provide administrative tools for citations and fines, allowing the city to assess administrative fines and, in some cases, resolve violations administratively rather than immediately pursuing court. Staff said they would add a schedule of fees beyond the $50-a-day administrative limit contemplated in the draft, define penalties for violating stop-work orders and consider language addressing repeat offenders.

During discussion a council member asked whether the version before the council covered repeat offenders; staff replied it did not in its current form but that habitual violators could be addressed in the amendment. Staff proposed returning with a marked-up ordinance by September, noting coordination would be required among staff and the city attorney to finalize fee schedules and any administrative appeals provisions.

The motion to defer was made and seconded; council members then voted in favor of deferring the first reading until the September work session.

Why it matters: adopting the property maintenance code would change how the city enforces minimum property standards and how administrative fines and stop-work penalties are applied. The deferral gives staff time to draft clear fee schedules and repeat-offender provisions before council action.

Next steps: staff will prepare a redlined ordinance with a proposed schedule of administrative fees, proposed stop-work order penalties and proposed repeat-offender language for the September work session and first reading.