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Snowflake council seeks stricter blight enforcement, asks staff to propose dumpster rules
Summary
At a Jan. 6 work session, Snowflake council members and town staff discussed tightening blight definitions, potential restrictions on large dumpsters in residential areas, and boosting code‑enforcement capacity; staff were asked to consult the attorney and return with concrete recommendations.
At a Jan. 6 Snowflake Town Council work session, council members and town staff opened a wide-ranging discussion on town beautification and code enforcement, flagging safety and public‑health issues and asking staff to return with enforceable recommendations.
Council members said the definition of blight is broad — “junk, distressed, disrepair, etc.” — and that the town should be more proactive about enforcement. The discussion ranged from whether trash receptacles can be pulled behind privacy fences to whether large temporary dumpsters should be allowed in residential areas.
Staff member Brian Richards said the problem is long‑running and urged follow‑up: “this is constant, we need to follow up and revisit this issue,” and he told the council there has been little code enforcement activity in the last six months but “we have enough for a full time employee to do it.”
Council member Reid Stinnett said some residents rely on larger bins because they must carry containers long distances, and asked the council to weigh access and equity when setting rules. Council member Byron Lewis suggested targeting priority areas first so the town can demonstrate progress and encourage voluntary compliance.
Council member Greg Brimhall raised safety concerns tied to sight lines: when bins or dumpsters extend into the right‑of‑way “it is hard to see if kids are running in and out; it’s more of a danger thing than an eye sore.” Mark Sheen urged the council to prioritize problems that also carry secondary risks such as rodents or standing water.
Several council members asked staff to research practices used by comparable towns, with Council member Travis Kay specifically requesting that staff consult the town attorney about how to enact design or placement rules for Main Street and residential areas. Ella McAdams suggested considering curbside pickup for large items as part of a toolbox of responses, and staff member Bruce Meyer urged an outreach‑first approach: “let’s approach people and ask them how we can help them clean up their issue.”
The council asked staff to prepare draft code changes, enforcement options and a recommended staffing approach for a future meeting so policies can be implemented well ahead of the town’s 2028 Pioneer Days milestones.
