A village land owner is questioning the procedure as to how public officials notify citizens when an ordinance is in violation.
Atlas Township resident Al Ryden, who owns the building and property at 8223 State Road, said he received a phone call from someone claiming to be the village code enforcement officer last month. The person said a motor home and trailers that are parked on the vacant land behind his building were in violation of village ordinance.
Ryden’s said he’s willing to fix the village violations; however, he claims he was ‘stonewalled? by village officals. When he asked, no one would tell him proper procedures.
‘I was not given an outline of the procedure that informs landowners when they have a violation, even though I asked for it. I’m at the State Road building almost any day of the week and officals claim they notified me; however, I don’t have them. I pay taxes’I get a tax bill in the mail. What’s the difference. There are no proper steps outlined nor a definition. Now the village officials will not even respond to me. You just can’t ignore someone.?
In late August, Village Attorney Thomas McKenney responded with the ordinances and emphasized that the court prescibes the time of compliance.
‘Absent a court order, compliance is accomplished by agreement,? wrote McKenney, in an e-mail to Ryden.
Goodrich Village Manager Jakki Sidge said Ryden is breaking the law and does not want to remove the items on the property.
‘He is in violation of a conditional use’they have three days to move the items on the property,? said Sidge. ‘He’ll get a ticket if they are not moved. Whenever I get a lawsuit thrown at me, I refer it to the village attorney. Taxpayer dollars have been spent on this case.?
Sidge said that Ryden may have been upset with the the village code enforcer, Bill Connley who informed him of the violations.