Posted on 02/17/2005 12:53:31 PM PST by mdittmar
Expect to see a lot more buildings with patches of mismatched paint on the walls around Yakima.
The City Council amended Yakima's building ordinance Tuesday to include a $400 fine for property owners who are uncooperative in helping clean up graffiti.
Currently, the city gives property owners 15 days to remove or paint over graffiti or be charged for the cleanup. Starting in mid-March, anyone who ignores notices to clean up graffiti and doesn't allow the city's free paint-out program crew to cover the tagging will be charged $400.
To escape paying the fine, property owners can paint over the graffiti themselves or call Yakima's Neighborhood Development Services office and request a crew to cover the tagging.
Building owners can also request extensions if weather conditions are not adequate for painting exterior surfaces.
Members of the business community applauded the city's effort to reduce graffiti.
Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce president George Chappell said the business organization's board of directors supported the city's decision to charge negligent property owners.
But some disagreed and said charging property owners for graffiti is the wrong approach to clean up the city.
"Do something to help us as property owners. Don't punish us," said Jerry Steinert, whose commercial buildings in the 800 block of North First Street are repeatedly tagged. "We feel like the victims and then you want to penalize us some more."
Steinert said he is frequently painting his buildings and has occasionally used the city's free service.
Councilman Ron Bonlender assured Steinert the fine wasn't intended to punish owners but to provide some teeth to the ordinance so people will cooperate with the city.
"You are complying by giving permission to the city (to paint over graffiti). You're not going to get a $400 fine," he said.
I live in Yakima,the city council has done squat to arrest and prosecute vandals.(I knew when they started calling them "taggers" instead of vandals there was a problem.)
Graffiti is all over this town and they go after the victims.
Already happening in Tacoma
Nothing like punishing the victim to solve the problem.
Maybe the city would be better seved by forcing those convicted of graffiti and vandalism to work in groups to clean up the mess instead of forcing the business to pay.
Define grafitti. One man's art is another's grafitti. It will never make it through the courts.
In 43 years I've seen this town go downhill,illegals coming in,gangs starting up,nice neighborhoods gone to hell.
It's out of control in some areas,areas where I used to walk with my dad on his mailmans' route,nice middle class neighborhoods,are now full of boarded up houses,and Mexican gangs.
Our downtown are is pretty much dead,use to cruise "The Ave." when I was 16,crusing was banned years ago because of gang violence,it's a damn shame.
In related news, the Yakima City Council passed a law requiring that assualt victims cover up their black eyes with an eye patch or they will be fined $400.
crusing?
Fixing the problem for free counts for doing something for the property owner in my book. The only ones who will get fined are the ones who actively block graffiti removal.
Putting paint on a wall or other object that doesn't belong to you and for which you have no permission to apply paint.
I wouldn't really have much problem with a law that permitted property owners to shoot taggers caught in the act at night.
graffiti: writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.
Perhaps the objection to graffiti derives from vandals defacing someone else's personal property to display their "art." If I want to make a pretty light display, I shouldn't be allowed to set somebody's house on fire.
Arresting and prosecuting those who do it is what needs to be done.
Arresting and prosecuting those who do it is what needs to be done.
I fully agree with that. I'd have more sympathy for those opposing the city if the city was not offering the free service. They aren't fining folks for not cleaning up, they are fining folks who refuse to allow the property to be cleaned up.
In certain countries they have similar laws to punish rape victims.
oh cruising.... what we nowadays would call "Driving A-round."
That one didn't fly,it's not kids doing the vandalism it's gangs.
The one I see most is ESV,East Side Vatos.
P.S.,PAR35?,If I played a 7 hole course maybe.
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