Waterville council spells out graffiti penalties
8/31/2010Council has unanimously approved a new law to address removal of graffiti.
The ordinance, which basically defines graffiti as a public nuisance, is designed to assist in the process of requesting removal of graffiti.
The ordinance prohibits graffiti and outlines steps to be taken for removal.
The village will notify a property owner in writing, indicating the graffiti needs to be removed within 21 days. If the property owner fails to comply, the matter would be referred to the municipal prosecutor for enforcement action. Violators could face a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail.
The new ordinance, approved last week, describes graffiti on public and private property as a blighting factor that depreciates property value and the value of adjacent and surrounding properties. By doing so, graffiti negatively impacts the community.
In recent years, a few instances of graffiti lingering on properties have occurred, but those have been addressed and the areas repainted.