MARYSVILLE – At its work session tonight, Oct. 6, the City Council will discuss potential laws that would crack down on people and properties that are nuisances.
According to the agenda, the meeting at City Hall at 7 p.m. will look at a measure that would make it illegal to solicit pedestrians or motorists on public property or streets after sunset or before sunrise.
The law also would make it illegal to solicit on off- or on-ramps to state highways and within 300 feet of major intersections, including on Highway 528, State Avenue and 172nd Street NE. It also would make it illegal to sell or give away items to people in vehicles in those locations.
The reason for the law is because coercive solicitation causes fear and intimidation upon citizens, and harms tourism and businesses, the agenda says. Also, solicitation at certain times and locations pose traffic and public safety risks.
As for nuisance properties, the agenda says: In Marysville, some owners allow their properties to be used for criminal purposes or in a manner that violates city codes. In some cases, the property owners allow these crimes to occur repeatedly despite continued police and code enforcement efforts. These properties are “Chronic Nuisance Properties.”
Such properties present health, safety, and welfare concerns and interfere with the quality of life, comfort, and solitude of people residing in the neighborhood. The activities often result in numerous calls to the police, fire and other city departments. The calls generated by such properties create a financial burden to the city and create a negative living environment.
The city does not have laws that provide adequate tools to hold property owners responsible for correcting chronic nuisances. Such laws are an effective tool to address these properties. Other jurisdictions that have similar laws include: Everett, Shoreline, Seattle, Tacoma and Yakima.
A new law would warn property owners that they are potentially civilly and criminally liable if chronic nuisance activities continue. The warning would say that the property owner must take all steps to assist in abatement of the nuisance property, including pursuing eviction of the responsible persons.
