Nuisance Ordinance draft open for feedback

NEWBERRY — On Wednesday, March 6, Newberry County Council held a work session before to discuss revisions made to the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Codes.

Revisions made were to narrow the codes down to better focus on habitable and uninhabitable structures, as well as rubbish. Definitions for junk/abandoned vehicles were struck, as well as the definition for vehicles, including cars, boats and trailers.

“We’ve really tried to revise the ordinance down to focusing on structures that are occupied…but unfit for occupation,” explained County Administrator Jeff Shaker.

With the definition being struck, under this draft of the ordinance, there is no requirement for vehicles to be screened or a limit of vehicles. Under the current ordinance, residents can only have two inoperable vehicles and they must be screened from view.

Other definitions that were struck included some language used in what was included as outdoor storage and the entirety of the definition for vegetation. Under what was defined as “outdoor storage,” language that described vehicles and vehicle parts and vegetation as a nuisance was removed since the definitions for vehicles and vegetation/overgrowth were removed. This means that vegetable matter and overgrowth are no longer classified as a nuisance, even if it creates a fire, traffic and/or safety hazard, is excessive, dead and/or falling into neighboring properties and public right of ways, or odorous.

Language focusing on swimming pools, empty or unsafe for swimming, was struck. In its place, a subsection was added focusing on pools of stagnant water, excluding retention ponds and stagnant water related to agricultural activities, that could harbor mosquitos and other insects would be considered a nuisance.

The final addition was language that defined what an unsafe structure is and when it would be classified as a nuisance. Under this draft, structures that do not have working electrical, water, septic services and necessary utilities would be deemed uninhabitable.

Until April first, feedback and responses to the current draft can be sent through the county website at https://www.newberrycounty.gov/notices/draft-newberry-county-nuisance-ordinance.