DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)– A local borough is reporting that an ordinance that was recently put into effect to improve public safety has been successful.

Steelton Borough has successfully used the Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance to address concerns and complaints about nuisance properties, a news release states.

“Steelton Borough remains committed to fostering a vibrant, safe and thriving community,” Council President Vanessa Bowers said. “This ordinance represents a significant step toward achieving this goal.”

Chronic nuisance properties “present grave health, safety and welfare concerns, where the persons responsible for such properties have failed to take corrective action to abate the nuisance condition. Chronic nuisance properties have a tremendous negative impact on the quality of life, safety and health of the neighborhoods where they are located,” the release states.

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There are four key provisions that the ordinance includes:

• Identification of Chronic Nuisance Properties – this helps local authorities identify properties that have become a chronic nuisance.

• Collaboration with Property Owners and Businesses – Authorities will communicate with owners about their property being a nuisance.

• Graduated Enforcement Measures – This allows for a graduated approach to enforcement, meaning that owners will be given warnings and even education on how to improve property management.

• Balancing Public Welfare and Individual Rights – This ensures there is a due process and gives way for appeals and hearings.

The purpose of the ordinance, which was enacted on Feb. 5, is to help improve law enforcement capabilities within the borough while promoting community wellbeing, according to borough officials.

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“These properties create a financial burden to the borough and its taxpayers as a result of repeated calls to police and other borough enforcement departments related to repeated nuisance activities occurring on those properties.” Bowers said. “With this ordinance, we now have another tool available to help address the issues we’ve experienced with these persistent nuisance properties.”

Steelton Borough Mayor Ciera Dent declared a state of emergency that shut down the Cyrene Elks Lodge after there was shooting in the area in February.

Under Pennsylvania law, a mayor can issue a state of emergency in order to “effectually preserve the public peace within the borough, the mayor shall have the power to prevent and suppress mobs, riots and unlawful and tumultuous assemblies.”

In March, Steelton Police began investigating “suspicious death” where a man was found inside a club unresponsive. The coroner is waiting for more results from the autopsy yet, it is still unclear whether or not he died from his injuries in the fight.

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