At Monday’s special meeting the Salisbury City Council unanimously overrode Mayor Jim Ireton’s veto of Resolution 2101. The resolution establishes a moratorium on enforcement actions against suspected illegal non-conforming uses typically known as “illegal conversions”.
In his veto message of September 14, Ireton states:
This action will prevent Neighborhood Services and Buildings, Permits and Inspections from advancing potential illegal non-conforming uses for investigation. Salisbury’s older neighborhoods expected, with the results of the last few elections, that a tough stance would be taken. Council, because it can’t work thoroughly with any sense of timing or purpose, has let our neighborhoods down. Newtown and North Camden residents are expecting the city to continue to fight illegal uses. The Safe Streets Neighborhood Legislation has been over a year waiting for city action and this moratorium will negatively impact our ability to protect the public.” said Mayor Ireton upon vetoing the legislation.
Since becoming mayor, Ireton has brought action against landlords owning suspected illegal conversions. Sadly, most of these actions have been unsuccessful due to the Board of Zoning Appeals’ acceptance of third party, hearsay evidence. This is why the council chose to pass Resolution 2101. The resolution calls for a moratorium for 90 days, or until the council passes new legislation governing the Board of Zoning Appeals – whichever is sooner.
It should be noted that Ireton’s remarks regarding council passage of the Safe Streets Legislation is not entirely accurate. It is true that council has only passed one portion of the legislation to date – the Tenant’s Rights Lease Addendum. However, much of the delay has been due to the mayor’s own law department.
We should also note that the moratorium will protect neighborhoods in the long run. If Ireton continues enforcement actions against “illegal conversions”, and continues to lose, those properties will have legal, non-conforming status.
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