Article 178
CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEES*
Sections:
178.01 Citizens advisory committee.
178.02 Beautification committee.
178.03 Special study committees.
178.07 Blighted property review committee.
*The city council of the City of Meadville shall be served and assisted in its policy-making role by the citizen committees of this article.
178.01 Citizens advisory committee.
(A) Composition. The citizens advisory committee shall be a standing committee consisting of nine members appointed by city council. Members shall serve terms of three years. Terms shall be staggered so that three members are appointed February 15th each year. All members shall be residents of the City of Meadville. The committee shall elect a chairman and a recording secretary and may divide itself into such subcommittees as it deems necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs.
(B) Purpose. The purpose of the citizens advisory committee is to provide citizen participation in general or specific matters concerning city government including those specifically herein stated and others which may be from time to time specially assigned for committee study and report by action of the city council.
(C) Areas of Continuing Responsibility. The citizens advisory committee shall be specifically charged with the continuing duty to study and report upon:
(1) Grants. Any and all applications or proposals for the use of state or federal funds for community development purposes; and
(2) Human Relations. The status and development of human relations matters within the city including but not limited to fair and adequate housing practices, impartial enforcement of city ordinances and regulations, and equal employment opportunities for all citizens.
(D) Council Assignments. In addition to the areas of continuing responsibility set forth above, the city council may by motion from time to time assign specific projects to the citizens advisory committee.
(E) Committee Initiative. If the committee at any time desires to study and to report upon any matter not specifically charged to as by the terms of this section, it may specifically request the assignment of such project by the city council. Council’s decision upon such requests shall be determinative of the committee’s authority to pursue the subject matter.
(F) Reports. The committee shall make the following written reports of its activities to the city council. Reports shall be presented at public council meetings by a member of the committee.
(1) An annual report outlining all work of the committee during the previous year.
(2) Special reports detailing the results of the committee’s study of each project undertaken.
(G) Staff. The citizens advisory committee shall be assisted in its work by the city administration to the extent that the city manager determines such assistance to be available under staffing conditions from time to time existing.
178.02 Beautification committee.
(A) Composition. The beautification committee shall be a standing committee consisting of up to 15 members appointed by the city council in March of each year. Members serving on the committee on the date of the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section shall serve until the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. Appointments shall be made after consideration of a slate of proposed candidates submitted during February of each year by those members of the beautification committee in office on February 1st of each year beginning in 2006. Appointments shall not be limited by any slate proposed by the committee. The city council may also add members to the committee up to the maximum compliment established in this section from time to time throughout the year. All members shall serve until new members are appointed in March of the year following the year in which they are appointed. All members shall be residents of the City of Meadville. The committee shall elect a chairman and a recording secretary and may divide itself into such subcommittees as it deems necessary for the conduct of its affairs.
(B) Purpose. The beautification committee shall assist the council in the advancement of aesthetic concerns within the city.
(C) Council Assignments. The city council may by motion from time to time assign specific projects to the beautification committee.
(D) Committee Initiative. If the committee at any time desires to study and to report upon any matter not specifically charged by the terms of this section, it may specifically request the assignment of such project by the city council. Council’s decision upon such requests shall be determinative of the committee’s authority to pursue the subject matter.
(E) Auxiliary Members. The committee may be assisted in its work by any interested resident of the City of Meadville. Such persons shall be nonvoting auxiliary members of the committee. A listing of all persons serving in such capacity shall be given to the city council as part of the beautification committee’s annual report.
(F) Reports. The committee shall make written special reports detailing the results of the committee’s study of each project undertaken. Reports shall be presented at public council meetings by a member of the committee.
(G) Staff. The beautification committee shall be assisted in its work by the city administration to the extent that the city manager determines such assistance to be available under staffing conditions from time to time existing. (Ord. 3634 § 1, 2006; Ord. 3402 §§ 1, 2, 1995)
178.03 Special study committees.
(A) Authority. The city council may from time to time appoint special citizen study committees to consider and report upon specific matters requiring specialized expertise and analysis.
(B) Procedure. Such committees shall be created by resolution of city council. All such resolutions shall specify:
(1) The project to be studied;
(2) The membership of the committee;
(3) The nature of the report desired.
(C) Termination. Each special study committee shall terminate and be discharged upon the filing of the committee’s final report under the terms of the resolution which created the committee. (Ord. 2975, 1979)
178.04 Memorial tree fund.
(A) There is hereby created among the accounts of the City of Meadville, a special trust fund account to be known and denominated as the City of Meadville memorial tree fund.
(B) It shall be the purpose of the City of Meadville memorial tree fund to accept contributions from the public at large and to employ the sums so accumulated therein, together with any income earned thereupon, for the placement and maintenance of flowering trees in and along the public ways of the City of Meadville.
(C) The City of Meadville memorial tree fund shall be administered by a board of four trustees, one of whom shall be the finance director of the City of Meadville, one of whom shall be the superintendent of the parks department of the City of Meadville, one of whom shall be the chairman of the shade tree commission, and one of whom shall be the chairman of the beautification subcommittee of the citizens advisory council. All actions of the trustees shall be by unanimous vote. No tree shall be placed by the trustees without the prior approval, by simple majority vote, of the shade tree commission of the City of Meadville. It is the intent of the city council of the City of Meadville that the trustees give preference to the use of flowering trees wherever such use is, in the opinion of the trustees, feasible.
(D) A memorial book shall be purchased from the fund in which the names of persons in whose memory contributions to the fund are made shall be inscribed. The memorial book shall be held for public display at the Meadville Municipal Building at a place to be designated by the city manager of the City of Meadville.
(E) If, at any time, continued maintenance of the fund hereby created becomes, in the opinion of the city council of the City of Meadville, impractical, the city council by resolution may dissolve the fund and direct that the proceeds therefrom be paid directly to the shade tree commission of the City of Meadville for the general purposes of said commission. (Ord. 2919, 1977)
178.05 Repealer.
All resolutions or motions of the city council of the City of Meadville creating citizen advisory committees or organizations of any nature are hereby repealed. Nothing in this section or in this article shall affect the continuation of any operating commission, committee, board or authority created by ordinance of the city council pursuant to specific authority granted by the Pennsylvania Third Class City Code. (Ord. 2975, 1979)
178.06 Shippen Fountain fund.
(A) In accordance with the authority of Sections 2403 (1.1) and (61) of the Third Class City Code and the general powers provisions of the Optional Third Class City Charter Law, there is hereby created a special fund to be known and denominated as the City of Meadville Shippen Fountain fund.
(B) It is the purpose of the City of Meadville Shippen Fountain fund to accept contributions from the public at large and to employ the sums so accumulated therein, together with any income earned thereupon, for the restoration, repair and maintenance of the Shippen Fountain, and its surrounding fence, located within Diamond Park in the City of Meadville.
(C) The City of Meadville Shippen Fountain fund shall be used for the restoration and repair of the Shippen Fountain and surrounding fence upon the advice and recommendation of the Shippen Fountain board consisting of three members. Members of the board shall consist of Lori A. Soff, or her designee, by reason of her special interest and leadership in establishing the fund; the mayor of the City of Meadville; and the finance director of the City of Meadville. All actions of the board shall be by simple majority vote.
(D) If, at any time, continued maintenance of the fund hereby created becomes, in the opinion of the city council of the City of Meadville, impractical, the city council may dissolve the fund by repeal of this section, at which time all remaining funds shall be paid directly to the Crawford County Historical Society, for the express purpose of restoration, repair, and/or maintenance of the remaining statues and memorials located within Diamond Park in the City of Meadville. (Ord. 3669 § 1, 2009)
178.07 Blighted property review committee.
1. Purpose – Procedure. The purposes of these provisions are, consistent with the preservation of neighborhoods as stated in the legislative findings in the ordinance codified in this section, to establish a blighted property review committee of the City of Meadville, hereinafter termed the “committee,” to implement the provisions of the State Urban Redevelopment Law of 1945, as amended, and to promote reuse of the reinvestment in properties in the City of Meadville.
From time to time, the council of the City of Meadville shall, by resolution, establish rules and regulations for operation of the committee.
2. Committee Composition – Terms. The blighted property review committee shall consist of members, holding two-year terms, consisting of the following:
(A) One member of council, appointed by council;
(B) Two representatives of the redevelopment authority, appointed by the authority;
(C) A representative of the Meadville city planning commission, appointed by the commission;
(D) A representative of the executive branch of city government, appointed by the city manager.
Any vacancy on the committee shall be filled for the unexpired term by the respective appointing agency as noted in this section.
3. Blighted Property Removal. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the redevelopment authority of the City of Meadville shall have the power to acquire by purchase, gift, bequest, eminent domain or otherwise, any blighted property as defined herein, shall have the power to hold, clear, manage and/or dispose of said property for residential or related uses, and commercial or industrial reuse, as provided by law. This power shall be exercised in accord with the procedure set forth hereinafter.
4. Blighted Property to Include.
(A) Any premises which, because of physical condition or use, is regarded as a public nuisance at common law or has been declared a public nuisance in accordance with the local housing, building, fire and related codes.
(B) Any premises which, because of physical condition, use or occupancy, is considered an attractive nuisance to children, including but not limited to abandoned wells, shafts, basements, excavations and unsafe fences or structures.
(C) Any dwelling which, because it is dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, vermin-infested or lacking in the facilities and equipment required by the property maintenance code of the municipality, has been designated by the city’s engineer as unfit for human habitation.
(D) Any structure which is a fire hazard or is otherwise dangerous to the safety of persons or property.
(E) Any structure from which the utilities, plumbing, heating, sewage or other facilities have been disconnected, destroyed, removed or rendered ineffective so that the property is unfit for its intended use.
(F) Any vacant or unimproved lot or parcel or ground in a predominantly built-up neighborhood which, by reason of neglect or lack of maintenance, has become a place for accumulation of trash and debris or haven for rodents and other vermin.
(G) Any unoccupied property which has been tax delinquent for a period of two years.
(H) Any property which is vacant but not tax delinquent, which has not been rehabilitated within one year of the receipt of notice to rehabilitate from the appropriate city code official.
(I) Any abandoned property.
(a) A property shall be considered abandoned if:
(i) It is a vacant or unimproved lot or parcel of ground on which a municipal lien for the cost of demolition of any structure located on the property remains unpaid for a period of six months;
(ii) It is a vacant property or vacant or unimproved lot or parcel of ground on which the total of municipal liens on the property for tax or any other type of claim of the municipality are in excess of 150 percent of the fair market value of the property; or
(iii) The property has been declared abandoned by the owner, including an estate that is in possession of the property.
5. Residential and Related Use. Residential and related use shall include residential property for sale or rental and related uses, including, but not limited to, park and recreation areas, neighborhood community service, and neighborhood parking lots.
6. Certification to RDA. The committee and the Meadville city planning commission, upon making a determination that any property is blighted within the terms of this section and the urban redevelopment law as amended, must certify said blighted property to the redevelopment authority, except that:
(A) No property shall be certified to the redevelopment authority unless it is vacant. A property shall be considered vacant if:
(a) The property is unoccupied or its occupancy has not been authorized by the owner of the property;
(b) In the case of an unimproved lot or parcel of ground, a lien for the cost of demolition of any structure located on the property remains unpaid for a period of six months; or
(c) In the case of an unimproved lot or parcel of ground, the property has remained in violation of any provision of local building, property maintenance or related codes applicable to such lots or parcels, including licensing requirements, for a period of six months.
(B) No property shall be certified to the redevelopment authority unless the owner of the property or an agent designated by him for receipt of service of notices within the municipality has been served with notice of the determination that the property is blighted, together with an appropriate order to eliminate the conditions causing the blight and notification that failure to do so may render the property subject to condemnation under this act. The notice shall be served upon the owner or his agent in accord with subsection (7) of this section pertaining to service of notice determination of a public nuisance. The owner or his agent shall have the right of appeal from the determination per subsection (8) of this section.
(C) No blighted property shall be certified to the redevelopment authority until the time period for appeal has expired and no appeal has been taken, or, if taken, the appeal has been disposed of, and the owner or his agent has failed to comply with the order of the responsible department of any other officer or agency.
7. Notice of Determination. The service of notice of determination of blight by the committee shall be served, at a minimum, through the following methods:
(A) Service by certified mail and first class mail at the last known address of the said owner; and
(B) Posting of said notice upon the premises that have been determined blighted, record of said posting being made by photograph.
8. Appeal of Determination of Blight. Any owner or person who is aggrieved by a ruling of the committee that their property has been determined blighted for the reasons set forth, may appeal the decision as hereinafter stated. The appeal shall be in the form prescribed by the city and shall state the specific reasons for appeal.
The appeal must be filed with the blighted property review committee, in writing, within 30 days of the date of notice by said owner or his agent.
9. Reuse of Acquired Property.
(A) Acquisition and disposition of blighted property under this section shall not require preparation, adoption or approval of a redevelopment area plan or redevelopment proposal, but at least 30 days prior to acquisition of any property, the redevelopment authority shall transmit identification of the property to the City of Meadville planning commission and shall request a recommendation as to the appropriate reuse of the property. The redevelopment authority shall not acquire the property where the City of Meadville planning commission certifies that disposition for residential or related use would not be in accord with the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance of the municipality.
(B) Power of eminent domain shall be exercised pursuant to a resolution of the redevelopment authority and the procedure set forth in the act of June 22, 1964 (Sp. Sess., P.L. 84, No. 6), known as the “eminent domain code,” as amended.
(C) Property disposed of within a redevelopment area shall be disposed of under a redevelopment contract in accordance with the provisions of this act.
(D) Property disposed of outside an urban renewal project area shall be disposed of by deed in accordance with the provisions set forth in applicable law. (Ord. 3788 §§ 1 – 9, 2021)