Fortville is updating their street regulations due to an increased traffic issue on side streets because of the U.S. 36 closure.
FORTVILLE — At Fortville’s last town council meeting on Aug. 7, ordinance updates took place to update parking regulations and demolition permit fees.
Adam Zaklikowski, planning and building director, explained at the meeting that the ordinance was presented to the council after a recommendation that it would be in the town’s best interest to require demolition permits.
The town had not been requiring permits for demolition but had issued a few permits in the past under the miscellaneous part of the town’s ordinance.
“We felt that it would be a lot cleaner to have an actual line item for demolition,” Zaklikowski said at the meeting.
In doing so, Zaklikowski shared that this added line item would be in the public’s interest to ensure that any asbestos found during a demolition process are properly cleaned up, utilities are properly capped or disconnected, and there would be no burning of carcinogens.
A demolition fee would also be required, costing $50 per property, and all permits must be on file and all fees paid before any work can start.
It’s also included in the procedures list that it is the property owners responsibility to notify all surrounding houses and businesses two weeks prior to the demolition date.
Fred Fentz, president of Fortville’s town council, said that this permit requirement will help ensure the safety of not only the property owners doing the demolition, but also surrounding neighbors.
“We need that for some of the buildings downtown. They are 150 years old, and when you’re doing a demo, you’ve got to make sure the people next to the buildings are safe and secure also because they’re all interconnected,” Fentz said.
The council also discussed the seconding reading of an ordinance that updates the town’s parking regulations for streets in Fortville.
Joe Renner, town manager, spoke at the meeting, stating that updating this ordinance is something they need to do periodically as new development comes to town, along with the subdivisions and any problem areas in the community that need to be addressed as far as the parking goes.
Fentz had mentioned they wanted to revisit the regulations for certain streets with the extra traffic that has been flowing through some streets since the closure and construction of U.S. 36.
The ordinance was introduced at the last council meeting but had some areas that needed to be updated so a second reading was required.
Since then, the changes have been made, adding exact names of some streets, and prohibiting parking on the north side of Staat Street from Main Street to Madison Street.
The ordinance of amending and restating parking regulations for the streets also includes the new subdivisions that are in the town, such as the newer Mt. Vernon North subdivision where there is no parking on the side of the street designated by signage.
Renner said at the meeting that as they update the ordinance in the future, they will correct and make regulations more specific.
Renner also said the reinstatement of parking regulations can also depend on the post office and where the mailboxes are located, which helps determine where the no parking signs are placed.
With no comments or questions from the council, the ordinance was approved, which passed both readings of the ordinance unanimously.
