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Newton OKs expanded code enforcement, approves Newton Noel road closure and $61,750 engineering contract amid traffic concerns
Summary
Council approved amendments to Chapters 54 and 62 authorizing contracted code enforcement services with WPCOG (Oct. 2023–June 2025), approved downtown Newton Noel street closures for Dec. 9 by 5–1, and approved a $61,750 engineering services contract for The Falls subdivision by 4–2 amid council concerns about traffic.
At its Oct. 3 meeting the Newton City Council approved three New Business items: amendments to city code enforcement ordinances to enable contracted enforcement services, a downtown road closure for the Newton Noel holiday cart parade, and a $61,750 contract for electrical engineering services to support The Falls subdivision.
Police Chief/Code Enforcement lead Chief Sipe described the proposed amendments to Chapters 54 and 62 of the City of Newton Code of Ordinances and said the city will partner with the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) to provide a contracted code enforcement officer from Oct. 2023 through June 2025. Chief Sipe said the WPCOG officer would "receive complaints, identify violations, conduct site visits, and investigations, issue code violation warning letters and notices of violations, work with property owners and other parties responsible for code violations, assess civil fines to violators as appropriate, and filing small claim actions as necessary." Council approved the ordinance amendments unanimously on a motion by Council Member Ed Sain, seconded by Jody Dixon.
City Manager Sean Hovis described a request from the Downtown Newton Development Association to close specified downtown streets on Saturday, Dec. 9 for the Newton Noel holiday cart parade. On a motion by Council Member Jody Dixon, seconded by Council Member Beverly Danner, the council approved the street closures with five members voting in favor and one (Council Member Ed Sain) voting against.
Hovis also presented a proposal and cost estimate from Southeastern Engineers for electrical system design and construction support to extend service to The Falls subdivision. Staff requested use of fund balance to pay $61,750 for those services. The proposal passed on a 4–2 vote, with Council Members Ed Sain and Roy Johnson voting against. Council debate included traffic concerns; Council Member Ed Sain said he "would have voted against this subdivision" and warned the project "is going to be a disaster traffic wise." City staff did not record immediate mitigation directions in the minutes beyond noting the contract approval.
The approved code amendments give the city an option to use WPCOG-contracted enforcement capacity for complaint intake, site visits, notices and, where appropriate, civil fines and small-claims filings. The Newton Noel street closure is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2023; the engineering work for The Falls will proceed under the $61,750 agreement and subsequent permitting and construction approvals.
