Council fields complaint about alleged home business
Enforcement can be tricky: Are car repairs business or hobby?
NORTH WALES >> What can local officials do to address complaints of an allegedly improper business operating in a neighborhood?
Council took up that question on Tuesday, fielding a complaint from a resident on Fairview Avenue about an alleged auto repair shop operating on that street.
“For several years, we’ve had some issues with automotive repairs in our back yard, the neighbor next door,” said resident Brian Hill of Fairview.
“It’s excessive, and the reason I use the word excessive is because it’s automobiles coming in from outside of the area, and getting repaired in that garage,” he said.
Hill said during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s council meeting that cars tend to arrive at the house at night, using an alley, and he could see and hear work ongoing until “almost midnight” on a recent weekend, with numbers appearing to be too often for personal use.
“Nobody’s going to do that much work on a car, or multiple cars. We’ve had flatbeds, and tow trucks, come in and dump cars off,” he said.
Hill asked if he could propose an ordinance for council to consider that would prohibit that use. Borough solicitor Greg Gif
ford said the town already has codes prohibiting business uses in residential areas, but enforcement can be difficult.
“We already do have an ordinance that basically says, if they are doing anything in there for compensation, whether it be for somebody bartering services or being paid, it’s illegal and they can be fined for it,” Gifford said.
“You can’t put in an ordinance that says you can’t work on your daughter’s car, for example, or it could be a relative. You can only go so far,” he said.
Borough Manager Christine Hart and assistant manger Alan Guzzardo said they’ve both been out to examine the site, but did not see any activity during the daytime.
“The resident was questioned, regarding the ordinance on the books regarding compensation or bartering. The respond was ‘No,’ that it was for friends and/ or family,” Hart said.
She and Gifford both said the best option for anyone who sees a possible code violation at night would be to call borough police, so officers can investigate and file formal records of any violations.
“A case can very quickly be built,” Gifford said — “if we can document it, they will be cited.”
Council President Jim Sando said no 911 calls had been received about that site, but any photos or other evidence could be shared with police to help build a case.
“If it’s disturbing the peace, we have an ordinance in place that we can enforce,” Sando said.
Library board resignation accepted, vacancy filled: Borough council voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Duncan Reed from the North Wales Area library’s board of directors.
“We appreciate the work that he’s done for the library board, and the efforts he has put in for the borough,” Sando said.
Council then voted unanimously to fill that vacancy, by appointing North Wales Elementary School teacher Jacqueline Oberholtzer to fill that vacancy until the end of 2021. Hart said Oberholtzer was suggested by library Director Jayne Blackledge, and said the position is not required to be a resident of the borough.
Other posts still available: Council also directed Hart to advertise a long list of other vacant positions, as follows:
Civil Service Commission — one vacancy, for a six-year term, running through 2025.
Historic Architecture Review Board — Three vacancies, two for five-year terms running through 2024, one through 2023.
Historic Commission — One vacancy, for a fiveyear term running through 2024.
Nor-Gwyn Pool Commission — One vacancy, for a five-year term running through 2024.
North Wales Water Authority — One vacancy, for a five-year term running through 2024.
Parks and Recreation board — Four vacancies, each for five-year terms, expiring at the end of 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Pension committee — Three vacancies, for oneyear terms, running through 2020.
Planning commission — One vacancy, for a fouryear term, running through 2023.
Shade tree commission — One vacancy, for a five-year term running through 2024.
Vacancy board chair — One vacancy, for a oneyear term running through 2020.
Zoning hearing board — Two vacancies, for five-year terms, one running through 2023 and another through 2024.
Human relations commission — Five vacancies, for five-year terms, one running through 2020, two through 2021 and two through 2022.
Anyone interested in applying can send letters of interest and resumes to Christine Hart, Borough Manager, 300 School Street, North Wales PA 19454, with a recommended deadline of Jan. 24 so appointments can be made at council’s Jan. 28 meeting. Letters of interest have been received for some of the positions that became vacant at the end of 2019, according to Hart, and an updated list will be posted following the Jan. 28 meeting.
That meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the borough municipal building, 300 School St.