- Dec 4, 2009
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considering your town is like 10people you could start a petition
What do I do? They will not give me the ordinances...
- Thread starter missy_cbell21
- Start date
carrlr
Songster
Quote:
That is the funny part, the police dept is in the same building with the town hall, water dept and fire/ems. They share a window and 3 parking spaces. lol
Wow, sounds alot like my town...all in one building. Our ordinance states "no livestock", which the zoning person (too small for a commission) says includes chickens. Although, the sheep in town are supposedly "grandfathered" because they've been here so long. So, I settle for my chicken fix at my daughers house outside of town in the country.
That is the funny part, the police dept is in the same building with the town hall, water dept and fire/ems. They share a window and 3 parking spaces. lol
Wow, sounds alot like my town...all in one building. Our ordinance states "no livestock", which the zoning person (too small for a commission) says includes chickens. Although, the sheep in town are supposedly "grandfathered" because they've been here so long. So, I settle for my chicken fix at my daughers house outside of town in the country.
Dress husband up in serious suit and send him looking like he just stepped out of GQ. Tell him to smile real big and look legalistically important while he asks about all animals. I have my husband do stuff for me all the time like this and believe it or not the suit works wonders. So does the big smile! Husbands are great for some stuff!!
I won't be out of school until this Friday 6/4, first time I have EVER in 30 yrs of teaching went to school in June!!!
Linda in E. Tex.
Linda in E. Tex.
I once knew a woman who was getting nowhere with her request for some information from city hall she was legally entitled to. She went home, came back two days later with a pair of active toddlers in tow she had borrowed for the occasion. When the information was still not available she told the official manning the desk that she was in no hurry that day and that she would wait there until they could get the material for her. She told me later it was a miracle how fast the necessary papers appeared. She said there was nothing like some active toddlers to grease the wheels of bureaucracy.
Quote:
I am so gonna do this! Love it!
To the OP: Getting a copy of your local ordinances shouldn't be a matter of situation, it's public record. It *must* be public record. They HAVE to provide it to you (tho you may have to pay a fee for copying or somesuch). If you MUST justify your request, just tell them you'd like to be a good citizen and research all your wild ideas proactively, without bothering the surely very busy zoning and planning department with every little thing.
Another resource, rather than City Hall, would be a local architect. They'll usually have both the local zoning map and the zoning ordinances. Call a few and see who sounds least put upon, tell them City Hall is reluctant to help you with public records. A thank you gift wouldn't go amiss either... wine, booze, baked goods, ?
The police won't know the specific zoning ordinances, and I don't have enough faith in local bureaucrats to know their own codes well enough to be able to tell you for sure one way or the other without the hard copy in front of them. "No livestock in city limits" is a stock response that is widely assumed, and frequently wrong.
I am so gonna do this! Love it!
To the OP: Getting a copy of your local ordinances shouldn't be a matter of situation, it's public record. It *must* be public record. They HAVE to provide it to you (tho you may have to pay a fee for copying or somesuch). If you MUST justify your request, just tell them you'd like to be a good citizen and research all your wild ideas proactively, without bothering the surely very busy zoning and planning department with every little thing.
Another resource, rather than City Hall, would be a local architect. They'll usually have both the local zoning map and the zoning ordinances. Call a few and see who sounds least put upon, tell them City Hall is reluctant to help you with public records. A thank you gift wouldn't go amiss either... wine, booze, baked goods, ?
The police won't know the specific zoning ordinances, and I don't have enough faith in local bureaucrats to know their own codes well enough to be able to tell you for sure one way or the other without the hard copy in front of them. "No livestock in city limits" is a stock response that is widely assumed, and frequently wrong.
I would definitely do the toddlers. My problem is I don't know anyone who has any at the moment. Wonder if my 8th graders would work as well? I could gather up a few of them and advise them to be good and obnoxious like they are at school somedays and take them with me.
Have you checked at the local library? Either a city or county library should have a copy of the city ordinances/codes.
Just ask for them and read them there. You can usually make copies at the library, too. It will cost something. Here it is 10 cents/copy. (It used to be a quarter.)
If your city has a city administrator, he should be able to provide access to the book. Actually, anyone from the secretary to the mayor (I know, you don't have one) can provide that access and should.
If there is no copy at the library and/or anyone gives you any grief over reading the codes/ordinances, remind them nicely that it is public information and you have the right as a citizen to have access to and read/copy it.
If they still stonewall, ask them if you need to involve your lawyer. (an excellent bluff since they know they are wrong to obstruct your access to public information. If they don't know, it's time they learned.)
Smile nicely the whole time. They know they are on thin ice by denying you access.
(edited for spelling errors - hope I got them all)
Just ask for them and read them there. You can usually make copies at the library, too. It will cost something. Here it is 10 cents/copy. (It used to be a quarter.)
If your city has a city administrator, he should be able to provide access to the book. Actually, anyone from the secretary to the mayor (I know, you don't have one) can provide that access and should.
If there is no copy at the library and/or anyone gives you any grief over reading the codes/ordinances, remind them nicely that it is public information and you have the right as a citizen to have access to and read/copy it.
If they still stonewall, ask them if you need to involve your lawyer. (an excellent bluff since they know they are wrong to obstruct your access to public information. If they don't know, it's time they learned.)
Smile nicely the whole time. They know they are on thin ice by denying you access.
(edited for spelling errors - hope I got them all)
Last edited:
- Jul 30, 2009
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There could be value in just lying low in the hopes that your neighbors do not care and will not make complaints.
However, if no one there will give you the ordinance(s) or a straight answer, definitely have hubby be the bad guy if it is not in your character (I, personally, LOVE to be the bad guy when customer service is so awful, especially from our "public servants" living off our tax dollars). Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you have the right to your government's ordinances, among many other things. Technically, the only thing they can charge you for it is a reasonable amount for copies. SO, if these documents/ordinance(s) even exist, they are obligated to provide you with them, especially if they are not available online (try municode.com). Also, do you know for certain that you are in city limits? A city without a mayor might not even be incorporated? Is there a city/town administrator or just clerks to take your tax money?
I would send hubby, in a suit as someone suggested, request official city limit maps (check to see if you're even really in the city under their jurisdiction, city ordinances, and if stonewalled again, indicate that he plans to contact the NC Attorney General's office about a FOIA request being ignored (and, especially if you have an attorney friend who will work for free or cheap, have him/her do it). They have only a certain period of time to honor your request once it has been presented in writing (heck - get your signature notarized, cc the County and the State AG). Might be good to be vague about why you need the docs - can't imagine such a small town would have books and books of ordinances - and just get them all if possible. Definitely the maps too.
Don't let these government yahoos get away with not providing their legal obligations !! (I'm a gov't yahoo, and take care of my customers.) I really like the toddler idea too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, if no one there will give you the ordinance(s) or a straight answer, definitely have hubby be the bad guy if it is not in your character (I, personally, LOVE to be the bad guy when customer service is so awful, especially from our "public servants" living off our tax dollars). Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you have the right to your government's ordinances, among many other things. Technically, the only thing they can charge you for it is a reasonable amount for copies. SO, if these documents/ordinance(s) even exist, they are obligated to provide you with them, especially if they are not available online (try municode.com). Also, do you know for certain that you are in city limits? A city without a mayor might not even be incorporated? Is there a city/town administrator or just clerks to take your tax money?
I would send hubby, in a suit as someone suggested, request official city limit maps (check to see if you're even really in the city under their jurisdiction, city ordinances, and if stonewalled again, indicate that he plans to contact the NC Attorney General's office about a FOIA request being ignored (and, especially if you have an attorney friend who will work for free or cheap, have him/her do it). They have only a certain period of time to honor your request once it has been presented in writing (heck - get your signature notarized, cc the County and the State AG). Might be good to be vague about why you need the docs - can't imagine such a small town would have books and books of ordinances - and just get them all if possible. Definitely the maps too.
Don't let these government yahoos get away with not providing their legal obligations !! (I'm a gov't yahoo, and take care of my customers.) I really like the toddler idea too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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