Stephens Co. Adopts Changes to Nuisance Ordinance

Stephens County approves changes to the county’s nuisance ordinance to help enforce policies already in place at the county’s convenience sites.

On Tuesday, the county commission approved the changes to the nuisance ordinance unanimously following a second public hearing and reading.

According to Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers, the changes to the nuisance ordinance have to do with putting more strength into policies approved by the county commission last year for the county’s trash convenience sites, such as a 10-bag limit at the convenience sites, no dumping outside the gates, and household garbage only at the convenience sites.

Ayers said that without changing the ordinance to put those policies into the law, County Marshal Tom Bennett cannot enforce them to any large degree.

“Tom has had the ability to find addresses and names in the bags and track those people, but he cannot write a citation,” said Ayers.

Nobody spoke as to the changes in the nuisance ordinance approved by the county commission at a public hearing prior to the vote on Tuesday.

However, local resident Bryan Dooley did question other parts of the nuisance ordinance that have been in place since the ordinance’s adoption in 2002 that were not changed in any way by Tuesday’s vote.

Dooley’s concerns centered around rules in the ordinance dealing with agriculture and farm animals and the space required to have certain types of animals.

Stephens County Commission Chair Dennis Bell said he agrees that the whole ordinance needs to be looked at to loosen some of the rules that Dooley was concerned about.

“If I had my way, all of that would be deleted out of that ordinance,” said Bell. “This is a farming community.”

Bell said that the county needs to line it up with what is in the land use plan.

Stephens County Commissioners said they would look at Dooley’s concerns with the ordinance at a retreat scheduled for Monday.

Meanwhile, the changes to the nuisance ordinance dealing with the convenience sites that county commissioners approved Tuesday will take effect immediately.