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August decision seen on rental permit law
August decision seen on rental permit law
By SUE REID
A decision on whether the city of Solon will move forward with a rental occupancy permit ordinance that includes inspections is due in August.
Councilman William I. Russo said he thinks the decision could be made as early as the Aug. 1 City Council meeting. "I don't see why this has to go on," he said. "It's been discussed enough. I think everyone knows where it stands. To have more than one meeting of ongoing discussion is futile."
The decision was put on hold last month so that a full council would be present.
"I know we weren't to vote on it in June-July with council people missing, but I don't see any reason we should not be able to take a vote on Aug. 1," said Mr. Russo, who favors registration but not inspections.
Councilman Edward H. Kraus, who serves as vice mayor, said Tuesday that his intention is to bring the matter to a conclusion by September. "This is unchartered waters for the city," he said. "We've never been through this, so you want to do it right."
The ordinance is on track to go through its third reading by the end of August.
"It seems like we're obviously going to have to vote," Mr. Kraus said. "If we do pass some sort of legislation, and I think it will include both registration and inspections, I want to give the administration time to put a plan in place so they can have something to implement by January."
Council has held two work sessions on the ordinance.
Representatives of the city's two large apartment complexes, Solon Park Apartments and Liberty Hill Apartments, appeared before council in June. They were asked to appear before council as discussion during the work sessions focused on whether the large complexes would be included in the ordinance or would do their own inspections.
"I'm ready to make a decision now," Councilwoman Toni M. Richmond said Tuesday. "I'd like to see this happen sometime in August," she said of a decision.
"I know how I'm going to vote on it," said Ms. Richmond, who has been a proponent of both registration and inspections. "It's just a matter of everybody else being comfortable with it."
Ms. Richmond said she's not totally comfortable with the larger complexes doing their own inspections.
"This has to be something that is applied fairly across the board," she said. "If they have someone qualified, I'd consider it, but they haven't presented any evidence that the people who would do the inspections are as qualified as who we have in Solon.
"If something is going to be proposed to lessen the burden on apartment owners, it has to be something that is as fair as what individual homeowners are going to be confronted with," Ms. Richmond said.
Mr. Kraus said any distinctions between single-family homes and the larger units needs to be made within the ordinance, "or else you will always have to revisit it and keep amending it.
"I'd rather do it now," Mr. Kraus said.
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