ADRIAN — Opponents of a city ordinance that requires point-of-sale exterior inspections before residences in the city can be sold have started gathering signatures on a petition to force a public vote on the rule.
In June, a narrow majority of the Adrian City Commission approved an ordinance that requires any residential dwelling being sold to undergo an exterior inspection for items such as peeling paint, damaged windows, rotting wood, roofs in need of repair, or junk accumulation. The ordinance states that residences must pass the inspection in order to be sold, unless the seller agrees to put aside money for the buyer to make repairs. It does not affect rental properties that are in compliance with the city’s rental inspection program, since they will have already undergone a recent inspection.
Supporters called the measure a valuable tool for reducing blight and making sure dilapidated homes get fixed up, while opponents called it needlessly burdensome and an example of government overreach.
Although the city commission has the power to enact and repeal ordinances, residents also have that power through the referendum process. The process begins with a petition, which must be signed by at least 1,494 registered voters who live in the city. That’s 10% of the number of registered voters in the city as of the last municipal election.
Organizers of the petition drive started gathering signatures on Sept. 19. They must complete the process within 21 days, meaning the final day of collection will be Oct. 9.
In addition to going door-to-door, petitioners have been setting up at community events such as Artalicious and are advertising times that people can stop by a table to sign.
They’re planning to be at Trestle Park on:
- Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If organizers gather enough valid signatures, the city clerk will take the petition to the commission, which then will have two choices: they can either enact the petition language themselves, which in this case would mean repealing the point-of-sale inspection ordinance, or they can put it on the ballot for all voters in the city to consider.
In the case of an effort to repeal an ordinance, if organizers exceed the 10% number and gather signatures from 25% of the city’s registered voters — or 3,735 people — the ordinance in question also cannot be enforced until the matter is resolved.
That second number is actually the target, according to Carrie Smith, one of the organizers. She said they are hoping to gather 4,000 valid signatures from city residents.
Smith estimated there are about 75 volunteers working on gathering signatures.
Organizers have also printed and distributed 100 yard signs to supporters; Smith said they stopped after 100 because if their petition drive is successful and the issue ends up on the ballot, they will need different signs for the election.
