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Council adopts ordinance making many routine code violations civil infractions
Summary
Council adopted ordinance 167 to change several routine municipal violations — including common animal and cemetery provisions and secondhand‑goods/garage‑sale rules — from 90‑day misdemeanors to civil infractions while retaining misdemeanors for cruelty and defacing markers.
Richmond’s City Council voted Dec. 1 to adopt ordinance 167, which reclassifies certain municipal violations from 90‑day misdemeanors to civil infractions.
City Manager explained the ordinance bundles changes to four code sections so that a single ordinance can convert routine violations such as animals running at large, limits on numbers of animals in a household, certain pet‑cemetery rules, general cemetery minor violations, and secondhand‑goods and garage‑sale regulations into civil infractions. The city will retain misdemeanors for more serious offenses — for example, animal cruelty, vicious dogs and defacing cemetery markers.
The police chief told council the change will make enforcement administratively easier and noted the move aligns with recent Michigan statutory changes streamlining local enforcement options. Council members characterized the change as long overdue and supported the motion.
Council moved to adopt the ordinance during the meeting and approved the motion by voice vote. The city will proceed to implement the ordinance and adjust enforcement procedures accordingly.
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