Agenda Item: 12(A)
Prepared By: Casey Lucius, Ph.D.
Business: Ordinance - Second Reading
Department: Executive
Subject:
Title
Ordinance - Second Reading - Revised Municipal Code of Ordinances - Jeff Katims, Consultant, Research Director, GFK
Body
BACKGROUND: On February 22, 2022, the City Council approved hiring a consultant to review of the City's Code of Ordinances ("Code"), seeking to ensure that the City's Code of Ordinances serves as a functional set of rules for the City, its residents, and businesses. The Audit identified conflicts in the code, eliminated redundancy, revised the code for clarity, and updated references to State law.
In April 2023, Mr. Jeff Katims presented his findings and recommendations to the City Council which included streamlining, organizing, and more effectively aligning the City's Code of Ordinances with existing State statutes and regulations, specifically:
- Consolidating and centralizing enforcement, abatement, penalty, and appeals procedures;
- Consolidating commonly used definitions;
- Eliminating fee and penalty fine schedules in favor of enaction by resolution;
- Eliminating unnecessary and outdated provisions;
- Reducing duplication of state law;
- Relocating chapters on sexual predator and hurricane preparedness;
Effort was made to streamline verbiage, clarify legalese and poor drafting, and correct errors. The scope of work excluded Chapter 30 - Land Development Code, and changes of a policy or substantive nature unless required to comply with law.
During a special session workshop on May 6, 2024, the Council provided direction and feedback to the Consultant. At a special meeting held on August 1, 2024, the Council approved the Ordinance on first reading. The motion included a single change to Sec. 6-179 to authorize emergency sheetrock repairs. Subsequent to passage on first reading, several portions of the document that do not contain any revisions have been replaced with asterisks...
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