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Stonington board to pursue ordinance fining owners of uninhabitable, abandoned properties
Summary
President Bruce Dowdy said the board will pursue drafting an ordinance to fine property owners and place liens on uninhabitable or abandoned properties that attract animals or become safety hazards; staff will compile a list of properties with inactive utilities and the president will consult the village attorney.
President Bruce Dowdy said at the Aug. 18 committee meeting that the Village of Stonington will pursue drafting an ordinance to target properties that are uninhabitable or abandoned. He described the proposed measures as ones that would "impose fines and place liens on properties that are uninhabitable due to structural damage" and cited concerns about holes in roofs, missing utilities, and properties that attract animals or create safety hazards.
The Board discussed model ordinances from Edinburg, Taylorville, Pana and Nokomis as references for the village draft. Dowdy said he will discuss the approach with Village Attorney Scott Garwood to ensure the draft follows state law and to clarify potential enforcement tools such as monthly fines, liens and demolition of unsafe structures. No ordinance was introduced or voted on at the meeting; the next steps are staff compilation of problem-property data and attorney review.
