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Proposed Linton Ordinance Will Require New Mobile Homes To Be In Trailer Parks

Last updated on Wednesday, November 16, 2016

(LINTON) - With a tie vote broken by the mayor, the Linton City Council voted to move forward with an amended trailer ordinance.

Linton Mayor John Wilkes proposed an ordinance stating all future mobile homes brought into the city have to be moved into a state-mandated trailer park. He noted all current mobile homes would be grandfathered in. The city's attorney will be drafting an ordinance to be brought before the council at the December meeting.

The Greene County Daily World reports that the Linton City Council has been debating for months about how to move forward with cleaning up unsightly mobile homes in the city limits, while still providing affordable and safe housing for Linton residents. Wilkes said one of the reasons why the city has been unable to put together a trailer ordinance is because Linton does not have any zoning.

The city is working to clear out houses in the city and commended City Councilwoman Linda Bedwell for her work with the county-led blighted property ordinance.

Recent meetings focused on ensuring the mobile homes were hooked into the city's utilities, including sewage and electricity. Another concern focused on being safely hooked into an electricity source. For example, campers hooked up to a house's electric source could be a fire hazard.

When the vote was called, council members Fred Markle and Jerry Ellett voted in favor of putting together the ordinance as proposed by the mayor, while council members Tony Richards and Linda Bedwell voted against the measure. Councilman Jeff Sparks was not in attendance.

Mayor Wilkes broke the tie for the ordinance.

Mayor Wilkes noted while about 10 percent of mobile homes in the city limits are in top shape, it is the rest of the mobile homes which are run down and negatively impact the neighbor's property values.

Councilwoman Linda Bedwell noted, "But you also have that problem with houses, too."

Councilman Tony Richards later noted he was not necessarily against the premise of the ordinance, but he does not agree with putting restrictions on what can go on a piece of property purchased by an individual.

While the mayor did not open the topic up to public discussion, local landlord Jerry May told the council after the meeting was adjourned he plans to take legal action to prevent the ordinance saying officials are violating the law.

May said he buys, sells and trades mobile homes in the city, rents out several mobile homes and currently has a full mobile home park.

The landlord said he believes this decision is a step in the direction of implementing zoning.

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