Council considers ordinance to add citation authority and daily fines for zoning violations

Council considered a text amendment (ordinance 81 20 24 25) that adds a paragraph to the zoning ordinance authorizing code officers or law enforcement officers to issue citations for violations of the zoning ordinance and to have those citations tried in Clarksville Municipal Court with civil fines of up to $50 per day for each separate offense.

Planning staff said the amendment codifies enforcement authority already handled through pecuniary penalties or injunctions and clarifies that citations are an available remedy in municipal court. The added paragraph makes each day a violation continues a separate offense and preserves other remedies or penalties provided by law or court order.

Councilman McLaughlin said the language had been vetted with the police chief and with planning staff. Councilman Holloman asked whether the amendment could create burdensome per‑day fines for residents—citing an example of a sick neighbor unable to mow a yard—prompting staff to clarify that the zoning citation language applies to zoning violations (for example, unauthorized change of use, unpermitted signs or parking reductions) and not to general “care of premises” complaints such as grass height, which are covered under a separate code section. Staff noted municipal court judges retain discretion in sentencing and fines and that cases may be handled on a single‑fine basis depending on circumstances.

Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval of the text amendment. The transcript does not include a final recorded council vote on the ordinance in the provided excerpt.