Ordinance Proposals Opposed
Looks like someone spoke up at the last Eureka City Council meeting in opposition to the proposed ordinances I referred to earlier. Good to see someone other than myself has some concerns about this.
Local attorney, Kelly Walsh, is representing a client who opposes the ordinances. Can't help but wonder if his client might be one of the people that owns some of the property that might be targeted by the ordinances or just some civil libertarian type, concerned citizen? Wonder who the heck this "client" is?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:24 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I lived in a neighborhood in Arcata where a neighbor would call the police if we were outside playing acoustic guitars and singing, even in the daytime. He was retired. Yet there was an industrial yard next door to us with heavy machinery operating during the day, periodically. I asked him why that didn't bother him, and he said I was welcome to complain too. How's the weather? You need new shoes. I just love those kinds of conversations. Could I call and complain about somebody's lawn mower if they can complain about my loud music? I would worry, like Fred suggested, that a fussy neighbor could abuse this ordinance. Maybe the fine should require several complaintants.
I actually think the local cops wouldn't be prone to abuse such an ordinance, at least not just by themselves. I don't think they'd want a bunch of frivolous complaints being called in any more than the one being complained about.
But, as you describe, frivolous complaints are a possibility. And we should also worry about the "mission creep" that's sure to occur over time as local gadflys find more things to complain about. Who and what will be next to come under the thumb of such ordinances?
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