City Council discusses vacant properties, UTVs on city streets
Feb. 7—The Logansport City Council discussed an ordinance amending the vacant property ordinance, an ordinance concerning the use of utility task vehicles within city limits and an ordinance using appropriations from the city's LIT fund to purchase furniture and supplies for the new police station at a meeting Monday evening.
The amendments to Logansport's current vacant property ordinance help the city create a program to identify, register and enforce regulations on vacant properties within the city that meet certain criteria.
"This is one we've talked about quite a bit over the last year and a half," Council member Dave Morris said.
The city has discussed partnering with vacant property registration company PROCHAMPS in the past to make it easier to find and register vacant properties. That is a difficult job for the city because it can be hard to reach the owners of vacant properties and there is currently little recourse for failing to register vacant properties with the city. PROCHAMPS uses foreclosures and other records to identify potentially vacant properties and takes on the burden of registering and collecting fees from the property owners.
Council members and Building Commissioner Rob Rennewanz expressed hope at previous meetings that registering vacant properties will help the city intervene before the properties become blighted and must be condemned.
The ordinance passed its first reading 5-1, with Amy Densborn voting no. Scott Peattie was absent from the meeting.
The council also deliberated an ordinance that would give people the option of driving utility task vehicles, a type of off-road vehicle, on city streets. The ordinance was proposed by city residents who use UTVs to travel between properties that are difficult to reach in traditional vehicles.
The council asked Logansport Police Chief Travis Yike for his opinion on the ordinance. Yike recommended that the council table the ordinance until additional details like passenger age limits and time restrictions are added so the ordinance does not have to be amended later.
"If it does get passed, I don't want to have to come back here and add 'no passengers under eight in the vehicle' or 'no driving in the downtown area from midnight to 6 a.m.,' or whatever it may be," Yike said.
He added that he has spoken with similar-sized cities to Logansport that allow UTVs or ban them, and he is more in favor of allowing UTVs than golf carts because golf carts cannot get up to speed. However, he said he is ambivalent about whether the ordinance passes and more concerned about ensuring police can enforce the ordinance if it is passed.
Council member Jonathan Nelms asked that the ordinance be put to a vote because additional details and regulations would not change his vote.
"My votes probably not going to change, to be quite honest," he said. "I have some safety concerns of my own, and, representing the constituents I am serving, none of them are in favor of moving this forward. My vote is going to remain no. I'd rather just vote on it tonight if possible."
Council President Jake LeDonne agreed with Nelms and asked for the opportunity to vote on the ordinance.
Council member Carl McPherson motioned to table the ordinance this month. That motion was seconded by Morris. The council voted to table the ordinance 4-2, with Nelms and Amy Densborn casting the "no" votes.
The council also discussed the transfer of $170,000 from the city's LIT fund to purchase furniture and supplies for the new police station that will be located at the former Juvenile Detention Center located at 729 High St.
The majority of the $170,000 covers furniture in the new station. The ordinance shows that $147,000 will be spent on furniture, $17,500 will be used for office supplies, and $5,500 will be designated toward a weight room. In addition to desks and chairs, the furniture required for the new station also includes stainless steel tables, child-sized tables and U.S. flags.
The council unanimously passed the ordinance to transfer money from the LIT fund to furnish the new police station.
