(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council approved Ordinance #997 “Amending Provisions Pertaining to Chapter 169” at their meeting Wednesday evening.
Atlantic City Administrator John Lund explained that there are a couple of situations in the community where individuals are residing on land in residential neighborhoods that do not have proper homes on them, that means that working plumbing is not present. He said neighbors are fed up with seeing people occupying property in their neighborhood and living like it is a third world country. While the City has some ordinances that imply this is not allowed, these two cases fall into an unforeseen area that have prevented the police department from removing them from the premises. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson has worked with the City Attorney and Police Department to develop a broad ordinance to deal with these issues and similar issues that may arise in the future.
The Council approved orders to waive the rules for the second and third readings of this ordinance and it was approved Wednesday evening. John Lund said this will allow the Police Department to remove people from property that is uninhabitable, be it their own property, public property or someone else’s private property, after a 48-hour warning.
The Council also approved the third and final reading of ordinances #993, #994, #995 and #996. You can read more about those ordinances below.
In other action, the Council approved an order to close the alley behind Fireside Lounge to 7th Street for a Street Dance later this month. They approved a request by Atlas Cinemas to place a beverage vending machine on the sidewalk abutting their property. And, following a public hearing, the Council approved the disposal of city-owned real property – vacated Linda Drive right-of-way.
Ordinance #993 “Amending the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 125, Licensing of Tree Trimmers”. The Personnel & Finance Committee has endorsed the following changes: Added a new section defining the purpose of the ordinance. Amends the Permit Required Section so that proof of Worker’s Comp Insurance (if applicable) is required; Added three exceptions to those not needing a permit; Rest of Ordinance was unchanged, just renumbers.
Ordinance #994 “Amending the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 122, Peddlers, Solicitors and transient Merchants”. The Personnel & Finance Committee endorsed the following changes: Added mobile food vendors and requirements to the chapter; Changed bond requirements to insurance requirements; Added two new exemptions.
Ordinance #995 “Adopting Chapter 129 to the Code of Ordinances, Doing Business with the City”. The Personnel & Finance Committee endorsed the following requirements that are found in this new chapter: Insurance is now required in the following types and amounts… Bodily Injury – $250,000/$500,000, General Liability – $1,000,000/$2,000,000, Workers’ Compensation (if applicable) – $500,000
Ordinance #996 “Amending Section 69.10 Entitled Truck and Large Vehicle Parking. The new ordinance would allow boats, boat trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, or trailers, of similarly large vehicles be kept in the front yard area of a property. However, the vehicle must be parked behind the sidewalk, on private property and not project into the Right-Of-Way. Large vehicle owners and operators living on corner lots must check with the Police Department for permission, if the council votes to change the ordinance. Additionally, gravel was added as an acceptable hard surface.
