HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Email from Sue Ravenscroft dated March 29, 2009 - Exterior Property Maintenance Code "Ravenscroft, Sue P [ACCT]" To <bobanncamp@aol.com>, <drice827@msn.com>,
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Subject Exterior Property Maintenance code
Dear Madame Mayor and Council Members,
I am writing to share my thoughts on the proposed exterior property
maintenance code.
First, I believe health and safety are valid government concerns, and I
realize that you struggle to ensure that laws regarding those two issues
are fair and fairly enforced. But some of the most critical laws
regarding safety are not being enforced. I walk regularly and in the
winter walking is very dangerous because even on Lincoln Way corporate
tenants do not shovel their sidewalks -- some for months at a time. The
city does not have the funds to enforce a law that significantly affects
citizens' safety.
Second, a law that will be enforced only when one neighbor complains
about another will inevitably be enforced unevenly and could lead to
rancor among neighbors. People could use the code as a weapon against
neighbors, rather than requiring people to exert social pressure on
their neighbors.
Third, lifestyle laws -- which this is an example of -- extend beyong
the health and safety arena into aesthetics or taste. My husband and I
moved where we did because we wanted to avoid those lifestyle laws or
restrictive covenants that exist in some developments. My understanding
is that there are some developments in Ames (I was told Stone Brooke for
instance) where restrictive covenants exist, so people have the option
of living in areas like that. The option to live without restrictive
covenant-type laws should be maintained for those of us who like more
variety.
Fourth, we live next to a man who has actually done physical damage to
our property. His actions caused us to lose two trees and many square
feet of ground cover. I went to the city and asked what could be done
and was told there was nothing we could do to stop him. We have woods
rather than lawn so he could file a complaint about us if this code is
adopted. I doubt that he will because he has lots of woods on his
property too, but he could.
That brings up my last point. The code reaches too far into personal
choices and personal activities. We -- like many others -- have eaves
that sometimes clog up with leaves; therefore we would be violating
proposed Section 12 .As I read the proposed code many people in my
neighborhood, which borders on the Benson/Satterwhite land between Emma
McCarthy Lee Park and Munn Woods would be in violation of Section 20
because we have tall grasses and lots of volunteer trees. If paint is
peeling on a door, has a citizen violated Section 35? Or is it a
violation only if a neighbor complains? Do we need a code that is
subject to enforcement erratically? Laws should be written only if the
government plans to enforce them regularly and uniformly. The exterior
property maintenance code is destined to be enforced irregularly, which
means it will be enforced unfairly.
r
Please restrict ordinances about property maintenance to issues that
address maintaining citizens ' health and safety; issues of taste and
aesthetics are personal and should remain so.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Sue Ravenscroft
455 Westwood
268 0294