Upon call of the roll on the question of the motion, the following vote was recorded:

There being five (5) yea votes and no (0) nay votes thereon, said ordinance was declared duly passed and it was so ordered.

Personnel & Properties Report: Mrs. Jennifer Wilder, Personnel & Properties Director, referenced a PowerPoint presentation and updated Council on the following topics: Properties, Personnel, and City Events.

The Zoning Department exists to protect Oakwood Residents. By enforcing the Zoning and Property Maintenance Codes of the City of Oakwood, the City is working to protect property values. This is done by reviewing & analyzing land use, zoning proposals, requests, and administering permits for improvements made to properties.

Mrs. Wilder introduced staff in the zoning office. Lyndsie Corn, the Receptionist, has been with the City for almost two years. She processes all building and zoning permits, schedules inspections, and answers a multitude of questions residents may have about zoning regulations. Sherri Laidler, the Department Secretary, has been serving the community for over 10 years. She wears many hats in her position as she also supports the personnel department, as well as facility maintenance of the beautiful historical city building. Ethan Kroger, Oakwood’s Code Enforcement Officer, has been with the City for the past three years. Residents and businesses work with Ethan on a daily basis when looking to improve their property. Mrs. Wilder encouraged residents to contact Ethan before taking any steps on property improvement projects. She explained that Ethan will meet residents at their property and walk them through the permitting process so that residents have a clear understanding of the process.

The Oakwood Zoning Department is a busy place, with almost 400 permits issued in 2017, and also almost 400 inspections completed that year.

In addition to on-going property maintenance efforts, the zoning department annually conducts a city-wide automobile tour to identify violations of the Oakwood Property Maintenance Code. The most common violations seen this year include dead or diseased trees and chipping or peeling paint. Property owners are sent a letter advising them of the violation(s) and establishing a date to complete the repair(s). City staff works with property owners who require additional time to correct violations. In the rare circumstance that a property owner makes no attempt to correct a violation, citations are issued to appear in Oakwood Municipal Court.

Yellow door hangers are the main way the City communicates with residents when there is a property concern. The tag is not a citation, but rather the first step in communication. This could potentially lead to a citation if the property maintenance concern is not corrected within the prescribed timeframe.

Oakwood Ordinances prohibit the placement of any debris in City roadways, except leaves during the 10-week fall leaf collection season. Debris of any sort, including yard waste, placed onto the streets, including the gutter line along the curb, can cause safety issues. The debris interferes with the flow of vehicles and bicycles, and can be detrimental to the stormwater collection system. The City offers several options for disposing of yard debris. The “Do It Yourself” options include: 1) yard debris dumpsters at the Creager Field parking lot (at the corner of Shafor Blvd. and Irving Ave.); 2) monthly drop-off at the Foell Public Works Center, 210 Shafor Blvd, on the first Saturday of the month between 8 a.m. and 12 noon; and, 3) a city dumpster can be dropped off and collected free of charge if the only material in the container is yard debris. The City collects yard debris from property frontages on a monthly schedule from January through September, and bi-weekly from October through December. The collection dates are published in the Oakwood Scene newsletter and are posted on the Oakwood website. For City collection, yard debris should be placed off the street and just behind the curb, ideally just a day or two before the scheduled pick-up date. Branches should be no longer than 6 feet and all material should be placed in manageable piles for efficient pick-up. Yard debris material must not be placed around trees, fire hydrants, cable TV boxes, posts/poles, etc., or in the street, gutter, or center median on boulevards. When yard debris is found in the street or gutter, the City will leave a yellow door hanger directing the property owner to remove the debris from the roadway within 72 hours. If the debris is not removed within 72 hours, the Public Works Department will remove the debris and charge the property owner with a special pick-up. Under the City’s refuse program, each property owner is entitled to two free special pick-ups per year.