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Residents press Swansea leaders to enforce court ruling as board debates zoning-code changes
Summary
Residents urged the Village of Swansea to enforce a court judgment and remove alleged unpermitted structures at a contested property; trustees said they expect a court mandate by July 30 and discussed proposed code revisions to streamline notice and enforcement procedures.
Several Swansea residents used the July 20 public‑comment period to press the board to enforce a long‑running code enforcement judgment against a property owner, alleging ongoing dumping, unpermitted buildings and safety risks.
"We want the buildings tore down," said a resident who identified himself as Dennis during public comment, summarizing neighbors’ frustration over what they described as repeated rule violations at a site that has been the subject of litigation. Another resident presented compiled correspondence and signatures and said the structures were never legally permitted.
Village Administrator Ben told the board that the deputy did not file a petition for rehearing at the appellate level, and that staff expects a court mandate on July 30. "So by July 30, they should provide us guidance on how we can enforce them forward," he said, describing a near‑term legal milestone that would guide village enforcement options.
The board also considered more technical, administrative changes to the village code intended to streamline zoning review and enforcement. Community development staff proposed amending chapter 154 to replace the village’s corrective action order with a notice of violation procedure, eliminate a certificate‑of‑zoning‑compliance form, and clarify stop‑work language so that enforcement can rest with field staff rather than require central administrative sign‑off.
Staff said the proposed changes are intended to make day‑to‑day code enforcement more efficient. Dan Thomas, who presented the zoning amendments, said the changes would “simplify the process and expedite things instead of getting bogged down by unnecessary paperwork.” Trustees asked staff to rework language on a separate item—whether used auto dealers should be treated as a special use in certain business districts—so the draft would limit changes to used dealers only and return for further review.
Trustees and staff acknowledged that code amendments alone will not resolve the specific court issue raised by residents: enforcement of the judge’s ruling depends on receiving the court mandate and legal guidance. Staff said it will meet with village counsel immediately after the mandate issues to pursue appropriate enforcement actions.
The board did not adopt a final enforcement action at the meeting; residents said they expect swift follow‑up once the court’s mandate is received.
