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Washington council advances draft revisions to rental dwelling ordinance, schedules public outreach
Summary
Council members reviewed a condensed draft of the rental dwelling ordinance, agreed to post a revision online, and discussed third-party inspections, a $25 application fee, and a move from three-year to five-year inspection intervals ahead of a community meeting.
The Washington City Council discussed revisions to the city's rental dwelling ordinance and agreed to distribute a condensed draft for public review and to schedule a community meeting.
The Chair said staff had condensed the ordinance text and would circulate the revision. Council discussed including a back page or citations to state and local codes to help landlords and occasional homeowners (those who inherited houses) understand requirements such as escapable bedroom windows and electrical/GFI rules. A staff member noted that many of those technical elements are governed by the International Residential Code (IRC) and that the citys code generally follows the IRC.
Council members discussed inspection logistics and timing. The draft increases the proposed inspection period from three years to five years and calls for third-party, state-licensed inspectors. The Chair and staff said inspectors must hold Indiana state licenses and that the application fee was set at $25; per-unit inspection fees and the precise initial-inspection cost were not finalized.
To solicit feedback, the council agreed to post the draft on the city website (www.washingtonin.us) and to have paper copies available in the mayors office for residents without internet access. Council members discussed a short public-notice window, suggesting roughly one to two weeks of circulation and aiming for a community meeting in mid- to late April or within 30 days so that landlords and residents would have time to review the draft and offer suggestions.
The Chair emphasized the ordinance's safety focus, saying the intent is to make living conditions safer for tenants while protecting landlords from unnecessary fees. No final vote was recorded on the rental ordinance during this meeting; the council instructed staff to post the draft and schedule the outreach meeting.
Next steps: staff to post the revised draft online, provide paper copies, and set a community meeting date for public comment.
