Chapter 9 - HOUSING AND NONRESIDENTIAL PREMISES AND STRUCTURES

Sec. 9-1. - Codes adopted.#

The town hereby adopts as the property management code of the town the Rhode Island Property Maintenance Code as it shall from time to time be amended.

(Ord. No. 2022-17, 12-20-2022)

Sec. 9-2. - Public nuisance task force.#

(a)

Establishment. A town public nuisance task force is hereby established. The purpose and primary goal of the task force is to work with property owners to establish a nuisance abatement plan to eliminate identified nuisances in a timely manner. The task force will work through a collaborative with the property owners. In addition, where there is ineffective cooperation from a property owner, the task force may review appropriate legal remedies to abate the nuisance.

(b)

Members. The members of the town public nuisance task force shall be the building official or his designee, the police chief or his designee, the fire chief or his designee, and the town planner. Where appropriate, the department of the attorney general may designate an attorney to assist the task force with continuing, chronic nuisances.

(c)

Mission. The task force shall investigate problem properties through reviewing police reports, arrest and dispatch calls, building, housing and zoning code violations, fire code violations and incidents where there are indications of hazardous conditions, with a focus on properties which present chronic problems.

(d)

Procedures. Members of the task force shall identify properties that present chronic issues for the town, and after adequate review and investigation, a notice shall be sent to the property owner to abate the identified nuisance within ten days through compliance with all relevant codes and ordinances. The property owner will also be requested to meet with the task force to discuss the nuisance on the subject property and to assist in the development of an abatement plan. The task force shall instruct the property owner as to the law regarding his responsibility to abate the nuisance. The task force may look at the possibility of a legal proceeding if the nuisance is not abated according to the agreed upon nuisance abatement plan.

(e)

Chair of meeting. The town building official shall serve as the chairperson of the task force. The task force will meet as necessary and, as a minimum, within ten days of a referral being forwarded to the task force, to review the referrals and to meet with property owners.

(f)

Biannual report to town council. The chairperson of the task force, on a biannual basis, shall report to the town council the activities of the task force for the preceding year. The report will be given at a meeting of the town council in January and June of each year. Further, when appropriate, this body shall recommend the implementation of town ordinances to the town council to address problem concerns.

(g)

Open meeting laws. This body shall function in accordance with the state open meeting laws.

(Code 1970, § 5-70; Ord. No. 2004-7, 5-12-2004)