In the past few years, Pine Bluff has experienced more development than it has in the past few decades combined. This is the result of strategic planning and hard work by the city, our community partners and, most importantly, the citizens of Pine Bluff.
Nevertheless, there's still much to be done. One of our top priorities is removing blight that makes our streets and neighborhoods less appealing. This spring, as a part of this objective, the city is working to introduce an amended ordinance regarding nuisance vehicles, which would include boats and trailers.
The purpose of this proposal is simple. It would require that abandoned, wrecked, junked or inoperable vehicles be concealed from public view. Citizens would be required to conceal them beneath opaque covers, in garages, covered carports or backyards with enclosed fencing. These options would grant citizens a number of ways to conceal such vehicles. A nuisance vehicle that is not in compliance will be towed by Code Enforcement if the citizen responsible for the vehicle does not conceal it as required.
The city plans on introducing this ordinance to the development and planning committee in June for input and consideration. If approved by the committee, it would then be submitted to the city council for approval, where the community would have several opportunities to voice its position on the issue.
As this ordinance is considered, we recognize that citizens may have questions. First, citizens may state that they have a right to store vehicles wherever they would like, even wrecked and junked vehicles. In Arkansas, however, municipalities are authorized to remediate unsightly conditions like nuisance vehicles.
Such vehicles are a threat to property values, they can make streets more difficult to navigate when left on roads and they can even be dangerous when they attract pests like snakes and rodents. Ordinances like the one proposed are common in communities throughout Arkansas as well as the nation. That's because, as members of a community, we have a basic responsibility to store our property in a way that's safe and doesn't contribute to blight.
Some citizens may worry that having their vehicles towed is unfair. However, this ordinance would require the city to work with citizens and give them sufficient time to address the issue before any vehicle is towed. First, citizens would be notified if their vehicles are not compliant. They would then have an opportunity to appeal such notice before the Board of Adjustments and Appeals, which meets monthly, after which they would have additional time to correct the issue. This process offers citizens a fair opportunity to work with the city.
Lastly, citizens may question why the city is focusing on nuisance vehicles when other blight exists. However, remediating blight in the city requires a holistic approach that addresses all kinds of blight, from nuisance vehicles to dilapidated properties. Through Code Enforcement, the city is working every day to remove dangerous dilapidated structures. It's also working on legislation to create a vacant property registry that would incentivize owners to mitigate nuisance properties.
Additionally, the city is working with Waste Management and through Code Enforcement to reduce illegal dumping, which includes making waste containers more available and installing cameras at dumping hot spots. The city and county also work throughout the year to remove litter from roadsides. This vehicle ordinance is part of these larger, ongoing efforts to clean up the city.
Overall, the presence of nuisance vehicles is a major issue that the public has called upon the city to address. If we want more businesses to come to Pine Bluff, if we want more people to move into our city's neighborhoods and if we want this to be a city that tourists would be encouraged to visit, then we must work on making the community cleaner and more attractive. Remediating nuisance vehicles is a significant step in the effort, and it's one the city is committed to taking.
-- Shirley Washington is mayor of Pine Bluff.