Grand Mound ordinance committee seeks ECIA contract, weighs narrowing Ordinance 145

The Grand Mound Ordinance Committee on Aug. 21 asked city staff for a copy of the city's contract with ECIA and debated narrowing proposed changes to Ordinance 145 so they apply specifically to Grand Mound, members said.

Committee members said a —cookie-cutter— ordinance would not serve local needs and that the proposed amendments should emphasize dangerous-buildings enforcement rather than broader —property beautification— measures already addressed in Chapter 50. Christina Schwartz offered a proposal to add specific-intent language to Ordinance 145 and to draft a new chapter spelling out the —duties and powers of the code official— and a separate chapter on enforcement of the code.

The committee flagged a potential overlap in scope between the proposed Ordinance 145 changes and existing Chapter 50 and requested a copy of the city's contract with ECIA to examine whether ECIA currently holds any priority in the transfer, sale or possession of properties that the city may reclaim after enforcement actions. The committee said it will review the contract and the draft ordinances more closely over the next week.

Members also discussed an idea to form a separate citizens committee that could perform functions similar to those ECIA would provide, putting certain privileges and responsibilities into the hands of Grand Mound residents. The committee noted that further work is needed to define how such a citizens committee would be proposed and authorized.

No formal votes or ordinances were adopted at the Aug. 21 meeting. The committee scheduled a follow-up meeting for Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Grand Mound Community Center; Regina Meyer was recorded as the meeting notetaker.