HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Memo to Council with proposed ordinance, September 27, 1985 ATE tw I Its I I I GI a C I
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TO: Ames City Council Members alai
FROM: Nancy Gibbons L414
DATE: September 27, 1985
IN RE: Attached Ordinance
Attached you will find a proposed ordinance recommended by City staff and
approved by the Housing Board of Appeals. The current Code section reads
"Any aggrieved person may . . file a written application before the housing
appeal board. Such application shall be accompanied by a filing fee of
twenty dollars .. which shall be returned to an appellant who prevails at the
hearing. . .. " This has been interpreted by the Legal Department to mean that
any appellant granted a permit shall have their filing fee returned to that
appellant which requires the City to bear the costs associated with the
appeal . Some of those costs include Clerk ' s office staff time for
preparation of the agenda, the minutes, time at the meeting, and cost of
publication of the legal notice; staff time of the Building Official and Fire
Inspector for inspections, writing of staff reports and time during the
meetings.
Staff has , therefore, recommended that this Code section be amended as
attached. The recommended change will allow only those individuals who have
• been forced through the process through an error on staff's part to have the
filing fee returned by the City. Renters who are having trouble getting
problems in their rental properties fixed will be able to deduct the cost of
repair and the cost of the filing fee from their next rent payment or bill
the property owner for the repair work and the filing fee.