|
MAY0R WANTS "AGRICULTURAL" AMENDMENT TO CODE |
(October 16, 1998) Mayor Don Plusquellic is requesting Akron City Council approve an amendment to the Code of Ordinances to allow some exemptions for properties designated as agricultural districts. Mayor Plusquellic said today, "The situation earlier this year at Bessemer Farms was regrettable, it brought this issue to light and led to a solution. We have determined the Code, as it stands now, may be unreasonable when applied to the farming business." On April 24, officers of the Akron Police Department and inspectors from the Akron Department of Public Health inspected the Bessemer Farm property on St. Michael's Avenue on the city's west side. A complaint about the state of the property had been turned in following a tour of the ward the farm is in, on March 6. The inspection turned up more than a dozen junk vehicles on the property, numerous unlicensed vehicles, several one-ton loads of junk, and about 100 tires. While the property owner was cited for numerous code violations, he argued that the action was inappropriate. Mayor Plusquellic, immediately after Mr. Bessemer's complaints were heard, convened a series of meetings to explore the complaints. "As we look back on this, the level of police support for the inspection was inordinate," said Mayor Plusquellic. "However, I stand behind the work our health and police departments have done together over the past five years to make our community safer. This collaboration has enhanced our ability to bring quick resolution to situations that threaten health, safety and public order." Director of Health for the City of Akron, Dr. C. William Keck commented on the program's track record, saying, "Crack houses have been closed, elderly people have been rescued from unspeakably horrible living conditions, more than 400 open and vacant structures have been secured, more than 950 junk vehicles have been removed and more than 100 dilapidated structures have been razed." The amendments proposed by the mayor would exempt agricultural property from certain Code of Ordinances provisions when the act or activity occurs at least 200 feet from the property line(s) and/or street or highway abutting the farm. The exemptions cover such activities as:
Mayor Plusquellic feels it is reasonable to provide farmers with these exemptions because these areas of the City Code have been shown to hamper the owners of these designated agricultural districts from thriving in their business. "Contrary to what some have said, we had no ulterior motive in performing the inspection...no intent to displace the farm to use the property for some other purpose. I'm sorry," said Mayor Plusquellic, "for the way the situation was handled. We feel this ordinance will prevent it from happening again." |
