As the Knox Planning Commission continued their discussion over amending the accessory building ordinance, members also considered what to do about residents who are currently in violation.
During their meeting Tuesday night, President Greg Matt mentioned there are a few residences that have structures that are violating existing rules, such as one that prohibits breaking the plane of the front of the house and another that deals with proximity to sidewalks.
Matt said he felt like they’re limited in what they could do since some of the homeowners apparently received permits for the structures. He told the members that certain permits were issued by a former building administrator who failed to assess existing ordinances to see if the proposed structure and placement violated them.
After some discussion, members agreed that if a person is found to be in violation of an ordinance, the permit that was issued should be considered invalid and they can be asked to modify the structure to comply with the ordinance or take it down.
Additionally, while checking into the existing rules, members found a section that they want to have rescinded which refers to certain kinds of carports as “covered canopies.”
They are proposing removing that section altogether since the wording could potentially be confused with the temporary canvas structures they will be putting a 6-month restriction on.
The members of the Planning Commission who also sit on the City Council said they will bring the matter to the attention of the mayor and the other council members to be considered at the next council meeting.
