CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Borough Planning Commission decided to continue reviewing its draft of a nuisance ordinance and to revisit it again next month at Monday night’s meeting.
In reviewing the draft, the planning commission found it needs the proper clarifications and corrections for citing junk vehicles, dumping in waterways, composting and noise. The planning commission also found it needs to define recreational vehicles on property.
“We want it picked apart so we can get it right,” said Code Enforcement Officer Larry Mack. “It is better to get it right than to present problems.”
Commission member Jim Kling stressed the importance of spelling things out so there aren’t any questions about the ordinance.
“Let’s not create something we can’t enforce,” said Kling. The planning commission will be given a revised copy of the nuisance ordinance for review prior to the next meeting. Its next meeting is Monday, Sept. 10.
In May, the Clearfield Borough Council authorized the planning commission to establish a nuisance ordinance. At that time, Kling asked the council to permit the planning commission to replace its outdated and vague ordinance with one that was more specifically worded. He said the planning commission would consider issues related to noise, animal and animal clean-up, smoke, pollutants, etc.
During those discussions, he noted a noise incident in which a borough resident’s roosters crow during the early morning hours. He said the roosters were waking up the neighborhood children at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Council member Fred Wisor believed the crimes code would cover the rooster situation. However, council members, with the exception of Wisor, voted in favor of permitting the planning commission to establish a nuisance ordinance.
“You’re just cluttering up our ordinances,” said Wisor. “We already have ordinances . . . we don’t enforce (them).”
