KINGWOOD – The Preston County Cleanup Committee will soon be presenting its proposed ordinance to the county commission.
The ordinance was approved at the board’s Wednesday morning meeting.
Its working title is, “An ordinance of the County Commission of Preston County, West Virginia,” regarding regulating the repair, alteration, improvement, vacating, closing, removal or demolition of unsafe or unsanitary structures and clearance and removal of refuse, debris, overgrown vegetation, toxic spills or toxic seepage on private land, all under the authority of Chapter Y, Article 1, Sections 3ff of the West Virginia code, as amended.
The ordinance will now be sent to attorney Aaron P. Yoho and later presented to the commission for approval. According to West Virginia law, the ordinance must be read at least twice at separate meetings and published as legal advertisement, and a reasonable number of copies made available for public inspection.
Amanda Pitzer, interim board president, said the ordinance would either be a combination of the old ordinance or a replacement for it.
Under the ordinance, the county commission will designate an enforcement agency that will consist of a county engineer or other technically qualified county employee or consultant; a county health officer or his or her designee; a fire chief from a Preston County fire company; a county litter control officer; two members-at-large selected by the Preston County Commission to serve two-year terms; and the county sheriff, who will serve as an ex officio member of the enforcement agency, and enforce the orders of the Preston County Commission.
The county litter officer (currently Jay Sowers) will be authorized to issue citations for open dumps, unlawful disposal of litter and failure to provide proof of proper disposal of solid waste. To issue a citation, the property in question must pose a threat to health and/or public safety.
If a complaint is made it will be brought before the county commission. Once the agency investigates and determines that a dwelling, building, accumulation of refuse or debris, overgrown vegetation, or toxic spillage or toxic seepage is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous, or detrimental to the public safety or welfare and should be repaired, altered, improved vacated, removed, closed, cleaned, or demolished, the commission will have the owner served with a copy of the complaint.
According to the ordinance, the property owner will have 10 days from receipt of the complaint to request a hearing. The hearing will be set within 20 days and be electronically recorded or recorded by a court reporter.
It was determined that junk vehicles could not be covered in the ordinance. Junk vehicles come under the state Division of Highways enforcement.
Sowers is seeking groups and individuals who would like to volunteer for an April cleanup. Interested parties can call 304-698-5594.
TWEET@DominionPostWV
