The Carroll City Council tabled a proposed new ordinance during last night’s (Monday) meeting that would have required owners of vacant properties in the community to register them with the city. City Manager Aaron Kooiker says this program was developed as part of an overarching effort to spur residential construction and development.
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The ordinance targets properties disconnected from utilities and unoccupied for several years or empty lots that are not adequately maintained. It would also apply to properties that have remained on the market for over 12 months. The proposed registration fee is one percent of the total assessed value, with an additional $3,000 fee for uninsured or underinsured properties. Kooiker says the ordinance is not intended to target well-maintained structures or lots.
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Several council members expressed concern that the public could view this ordinance as an overreach by the city government. Ward 2 Councilman Jason Atherton says it is unfair to punish somebody for a kept-up property they are not interested in selling.
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Ward 3 Councilman Kyle Bauer says it is important to understand their intended goal, which is to generate housing construction and address long-standing nuisance properties.
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City Attorney Dave Bruner says this ordinance will not directly lead to the city taking property from private owners.
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Due to a lack of consensus on how to proceed, the council opted to table the ordinance for now and return to it at a future meeting. Under the initial wording, all properties, be it residential, commercial, or vacant lots, would fall under the ordinance. Moving forward, the council intends to separate the properties by usage to avoid confusion.