Chester council adopts city code recodification to make ordinances searchable online

Chester City Council voted Aug. 12 to adopt Bill 7, a final-reading ordinance to recodify the city's codified ordinances (City of Chester 1978, as supplemented and amended). The motion to pass was offered and seconded and the council recorded assent from all members present.

City staff and the police chief described the recodification as an effort to consolidate historic ordinances — including previously amended or repealed provisions — into a single, searchable online code. As the police chief told council, "Once this is approved, we'll have to create the link. It's ready, but it's dormant till council approves this." Officials said the online code will allow residents to search by topic, for example taxes or zoning, and to print or download sections for their use.

The measure was moved on the floor and approved by roll call with all council members recorded as voting in favor. Councilors recorded as present and voting "yes" in the roll call were Williams, Green, West, Davis and Mayor Root. Council officials described the action as an administrative update to improve public access and transparency; staff will publish the online link after the ordinance is recorded and codified.