City council will begin studying changes to its nuisance ordinance, changes officials hope can be approved by July.

They are changes the city began work on more than a year ago, Public Works Director Richard Parnell said today. New Planning and Development Director Amanda Jarratt helped to fine tune the proposals.

Many of the regulations in the ordinance date to 1970s, Parnell said, and many things have changed like dilapidated fences devaluing property and the way people stack lumber.

Many of the changes in the proposed ordinance were sparked by Opportunity Clean Sweep, Parnell said. “Opportunity Clean Sweep opened up our eyes.”

Jarratt said officials reviewed what was written more than a year ago and compared it to other areas. “There are new things to make it more straight forward, user friendly and less ambiguous for citizens and officials.”

While Jarratt said there are no significant changes, the proposed document tries to make things more clear. “We tried to take out the gray areas. It’s been a very long time since changes have been done.”

One of the changes addresses outbuildings 144 square feet or smaller, which before the city had to go through the minimum housing process to have them demolished. Under the proposal, these buildings would be covered in the nuisance ordinance.

Discussion of the changes is expected to begin at the June work session, Jarratt said. “We want to give them as much time as possible.”

A copy of the proposal will be available at the Planning and Development office in the first floor of city hall.