The Town of Fenwick Island is considering tidying up town businesses. An ordinance that could be introduced to council by the town’s Commercial Liaison Committee early next year would target getting property owners to keep fronts of their commercial properties clean. Similar to residential ordinances already in place, a warning to clean up unsightly trash in front of businesses would be followed by town action and a fine if property owners don’t keep things up.
Talking about a possible fine, Carol Hughes, owner of Blue Heron Gifts, said, “That tends to make people feel differently about picking up a broom. Landlords should be held responsible for individual businesses in their strips.”
Committee members plan to discuss the matter further at their Jan. 18 meeting.
While voluntary methods of dealing with issue have been discussed frequently among both Beautification Committee and Commercial Liaison Committee members during the last few years, officials said last week that uncut weeds and trash strewn across the front of town businesses has now become a problem warranting action.
After a warning is issued and not heeded, town employees would visit the businesses to pick up the trash or pull the weeds, then the town would bill the property owner for that service, officials said in a very preliminary discussion about a possible ordinance at their Dec. 22 meeting. At that meeting, committee members stressed the need for a fine and a sense of urgency.
“There has to be a penalty,” said Tim Collins, owner of Southern Exposure. “If it’s not done, the town could go in and they can pay for it. We just need something with some teeth in it that will work.”
“I don’t think we should keep waiting and waiting,” said Seaside Country Store owner Steve Vickers, who stressed action was needed by spring of 2007.
Committee members did not discuss details on Friday regarding the potential ordinance. They plan to contact the town’s commercial property owners and solicit more support for a more detailed Jan. 18 discussion.
“We expect more,” said Fenwick Island Town Councilman and Commercial Liaison Committee Chairman Chris Clark of the need for more participation and support from the town’s commercial property owners and businesses. Clark — himself an owner of a business just outside the town limits — supported the implementation of such a clean-up ordinance. “We’re trying to set expectations. We want everyone to participate.”