Topekans accused of violating the city’s property maintenance codes are, to a large extent, fixing those violations, city manager Brent Trout told the city council Tuesday evening.
Topeka Municipal Court Administrative Judge Lori Dougherty-Bichsel often finds she doesn’t need to penalize those people because they’ve taken care of the problems involved, Trout said.
“So I think we are on the right track relative to people taking responsibility for the condition of the homes,” he said. That body discussed the proposals at meetings on June 12, June 19, July 17 and Sept. 4. The revisions to the code are aimed at addressing ambiguities and making the code more consistent with state laws. One change also creates a separate ordinance governing unsafe structures.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)