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Council president seeks mayoral review of noncriminal fines for ordinance violations
Summary
The council president said he will ask the mayor to review noncriminal penalty levels for local ordinance violations, arguing current maximum repeat-offense fines (about $300) have not been updated in decades and may not deter commercial activity on residential properties.
Council President raised a request that he will bring to the mayor asking for a review and update of noncriminal penalties for violations of town ordinances. He said the existing schedule of fines has not been amended in roughly 20 years and does not reflect current values; as an example he noted that the maximum fine for a repeat zoning bylaw violation is $300 and said that amount would not deter commercial activity that generates thousands of dollars on a residential lot.
The president said he will prepare amendments to the zoning bylaws and a letter to the mayor for formal review by the planning board and the Ordinances & Rules committee. Councilors offered brief suggestions, and the item was announced for further consideration rather than for immediate action.
What happens next: the president will file proposed changes for committee review and the council will consider amendments as they are referred by the planning board and Ordinances & Rules committee.
