Memo- Central Business Inspections Program
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PLANNING &
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Memorandum
To:
All Council Members
From:
Steve Mielke, City Manager
Jim Hartshorn, Economic Development coordinatD 1.
July 5, 2000 - 'I
Date:
Subject:
Central Business Inspections Program
Backaround
Staff has been meeting with a committee comprised of property owners representing
the Central Business District to discuss the possibility of a Central Business District
inspections program. One of their meetings included a walking tour of the alleyways of
the CaD. The committee outlined a number of possible violations or maintenance items
such as outdated signage, signage maintenance, water drainage/scupper problems
and deteriorating building facades, etc., and requested that staff review the possibility
of a Central Business District Inspections program. Pictures from the walking tour are
attached to this report. Staff is working with the Inspections department on a first draft
to define this program. The purpose of this program would be to keep the CBD in
aesthetically pleasing condition for customers and residents. The program would
enforce violations as described in the property maintenance codes within the
boundaries of the CBD.
ProQram Outline
I. Purpose of the Program
To provide a practical method to regulate the maintenance of existing buildings
within the CBO by establishing minimum standards for maintenance and
providing administrative and enforcement procedures.
II.
Implementation Strategy
Staff would send information to property owners detailing the Central Business
Inspections program.
Property owners will also receive a ckecklist detailing specific items the
Inspections department would be looking for, such as exterior condition,
drainage, stairways, etc. Attached is a sample checklist from the City of .
Hastings.
Distribute "free" brooms to the CBO property owners as a friendly way to
promote awareness of the new inspections program, and remind property
owners that it is their responsibility to clean-up the sidewalks in front of their
buildings. Attached is a copy of a similar program that was used in Boston's
Brighton neighborhood.
!!L Inspection Process
Inspections department staff tours the alleyways of the CBO looking for code
violations, as outlined in the property maintenance codes, on a monthly basis.
Violations are documented, and first warnings are delivered personally by
Inspections department so that possible corrective actions can be reviewed with
property owner.
A reasonable time for correction of the violation would be established stating
when violations must be cleared by an inspector or fines are imposed (amounts
of fines have not been worked out at this time).
Any property owner that has been served with a violation notice and an order to .
make repairs shall have the right to appeal the orders at a City Court hearing.
IV. Penalties/Enforcement
If repairs are stil/ not made after a specified period and violations have not been
cleared by Inspections staff, the matter will be turned over to the City Attorney.
Other discussion items under review by the committee include:
fl Central refuse collection
o Snow removal
@ Funding ~ costs and revenue sources
~ Parking space addition and improvements
.Attachments:
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Colored pictures from alleyway walking tour
Copy of inspections checklist from the City of Hastings
Copy of litter management program (broom distribution) from Boston's Brighton
neighborhood
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City of Hastings
Inspections and Code Enforcement Division
Inspection Checklist
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General Requirements IPMC# y N NA Comments ILocation
Exterior Property Areas Sec. 302
Sanitation 302. 1
Grading and Drainage 302.2
Sidewalks and DriveWays 302.3
Weeds 302.4
Rats and Rodents 302.5
Exhaust vents 302.6
Accessory Structures 302.7/302.7.1
Junk Vehicles 302.8
Defacement of Property 302.9
Exterior Structure Sec. 303
General 303.1
Protective Treatment 303.2
Street Numbers 303.3
Structural Members 303.4
Foundation Walls 303.5
Exterior Walls - 303.6
Roofs and Drainage 303.7
Decorative Features 303.8
Overhang Extensions 303.9
Stair and Walking Surfaces 303.10
Staitways, Decks, Porches, Balconies 303. 11
Chimneys and Towers 303.12
Handrails and Guards 303. 13
Window, Skylight and Door frames 303.14
Glazing 303.14.1
Openable Windows 303.14.2
Insect Screens 303.15
Doors 303.16
Basement Hatchways 303.17
Guards for Basement Windows 303..18
Interior Structure Sec. 304 .-
General 304.1
Structural Members 304.2
Interior Surfaces 304.3
Stairs and Railings 304..4
Stairs and Walking Surfaces 304.5
Handrails and Guards 304.6
Interior Doors 304.7
Rubbish and Garbage Seca305
Accumulation of Rubbish 305.1
Disposal of Rubbish 305.2
Rubbish Storage Facilities 305.2.1
Disposal of Garbage 305.3
Garbage Facilities 305.3.1
Containers 305.3.2
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Page 1
Clean & Safe
PublBC t-~wareness ~s Key To An E'Jfectiv~
nJttef,.~/ianc:gement Progr~m
Despite the efforts of their
downtown associations, trash and
litter continue to plague many
central business districts. What
can be done about it is still a mat-
ter of debate, but many down-
towns have developed their own
solutions to the problem. Below,
we feature a few that have
worked for two communities in
Boston, MA. Consider these
when designing your own pro-
gram for fighting trash.
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Brighton Main Streets decided
that the best way to tackle the
problem would be through public
awareness. Brighton's anti~litter
campaign takes a multifaceted
"" _ ~,~."",......_ ..~. .~~-",_..__m._ . _,,_.. _ .__~______ .0.' ._----.~.-u_''''...----_.-~-.-_ _ ___
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A survey of shoppers shows
that trash and litter on
downtown streets are most
likely to keep shoppers
away from stores.
A. Few Reminders
Never Hurt
Trash and litter were one of
the most pressing problems fac-
ing Boston's Brighton neighbor-
hood (pop. 40,000) when its
Main Streets program
was started three years
ago. Although merchants
were aware of the prob-
lem, they didn't seem
particularly troubled by
it, explains Brighton
Main Streets' program
director Ann Griffin. It
seemed to bother shop-
pers more. In fact, a sur-
vey of downtown shop-
pers revealed that trash
and litter on downtown
streets were among the
factors most likely to
keep shoppers away from
stores.
Rather than cracking
down on offenders as
some communities have
done - and risk creating
animosity between their
organizations and mem-
bers of the community -
approach to the problem with
activities geared toward educa-
tion and public awareness, and
targeted to merchants as well as
to customers.
"We wanted to remind both
merchants and residents to keep
their community clean," Griffin
explains. "This was a lot better
than trying to enforce disciplinary
action, which few people would
have paid attention to anyway."
Although she notes that litter
prevention is an ongoing effort,
the organization has dedicated two
times during the year when the
problem is tackled more aggres-
sively than usual.
Brighton Main Streets partici-
pates in a local college's Com-
munity Service Day by encourag-
ing students to help clean down-
town streets, and holds its own
"Anti-Litter Week" promotion
in April.
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These decorative brooms from Boston's (MA) Brighton neighborhood told merchants "in a nice way" to
clean up their streets.
June 1, 2000 · Downtown Idea Exchange · 5
Merchants Make
A Clean Sweep Of Downtown
When "Anti-Litter Week"
kicked off three years ago, Griffin
saw the event as an opportunity to
encourage merchants to be more
proactive in keeping their streets
clean. Each merchant was given a
broom bearing downtown's "Keep
Brighton Beautiful" logo. As an
introduction to the Main Streets
organization, the brooms were also
decorated with a ribbon with infor-
mation about the program attached.
Approximately 160 brooms
have been distributed free to mer-
chants over the last three years,
each costing the organization
between $3 to $4 to produce.
Although the brooms will not be
distributed this year - downtown
construction has resulted in a lot
of the streets being torn up -
the organization is continuing
its litter awareness campaign
by producing decorative decals
and bookmarks bearing the
"Keep Brighton Beautiful" logo.
These will be distributed free of
charge in downtown stores and
the public library.
Education Is An Important Tool
hi Tille Fight Against litter
Other strategies used to
encourage litter-free sidewalks
during "Anti-Litter Week" include
holding street cleanup events
(these are held throughout the year
too), sponsoring a drawing contest
for children that focuses on litter
prevention and the benefits of
recycling, and educating children
about litter prevention. "Last year
we hired a Conservation Clown" to
visit local schools to teach children
the importance of recycling and
not littering," Griffin explains. "It
was really a fun way to spread our
message."
Downtown Trash Cans Remind
Residents Not To litter
In a newer anti-litter promo-
tion, the "Keep Brighton
Beautiful" logo is becoming a per-
manent fixture on downtown's
trash barrels. The downtown asso-
ciation recently purchased 38
metal signs that will bear the logo
for a total cost of about $1,500.
"What better spot to remind resi-
dents not to litter?" Griffin says.
Homeless men ami
women can earn a pay-
check and work toward
self-reliance by cleaning
downtown's streets.
The signs are in the process of
being installed and will appear on
trash barrels throughout the central
business district. "The Department
of Public Works has been very
cooperative in allowing us to put up
the signs," Griffin says. "However,
we would like them to come by and
sweep more often."
Trash Collection Becomes
Employment For Some
Boston's Washington Gateway
Main Street organization has
implemented a program that can
only be defined as a "win-win"
situation for all those involved.
Through a partnership with
Project Place (a local social ser-
vices agency that serves the
homeless), homeless men and
women can earn a paycheck and
work toward self-reliance by
cleaning downtown's streets.
Employees of the program, called
"Clean Corners...Bright Hopes,"
clean downtown streets for a peri-
od of six months before moving
on to other employment, explains
6 . Downtown Idea Exchange · June i, 2000
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Sheila Grove, project director for
Washington Gateway Main Street.
Project Place pays participants for
their work through a grant provid-
ed by a sponsor corporation.
Inmates Help Clean
DO'fJntO'flm Streets
In a separate program, the
main street organization also par-
ticipates in the Rouse t'bouts
(Restitution thru Restoration) pro-
gram sponsored by the local sher-
iffs department. Under the pro-
gram, inmates are assigned to
clean city streets.
The main street organization
also works with the city to
arrange occasional street clean-
ups. A major one was held two
years ago to coincide with the
city's "Broom To Bloom" pro-
gram. In this program, run
through the city's Parks Depart-
ment, flower bulbs are distributed
for planting in neighborhoods
throughout the city. "We got
2,000 bulbs that year," Grove
says. "The two activities really
complemented each other."
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Co11fact: Anll Gr(f/ill, Brightoll Main
Streets, (617) 77()J)85/; Sheila Grove,
(617) 542-1234 ~,
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How does your down- j
town han.dle its trash
and litter problems?
If you've got a unique way of
dealing with trash and litter
we'd like to know about it.
Please email us: hfeingold@
downtowndevelopment.com.
Your innovative ideas will be
shared with other DIX readers
in upcoming issues. Thank
you and keep those good
ideas coming.
e",