Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - Inspecting rental property every two years and developing a checklist for those inspections is a project under consideration by the Winona Lake Town Council.
Council president Brent Wilcoxson on Tuesday defined a rental unit as "anything that's not single-family owner-occupied."
Besides the inspections every two years, the council also may require an inspection upon the sale of the rental property and if a problem exists with the property.
The proposed inspection fee would be $15 per unit, with a maximum of $150 per building.
A rough draft of the inspection ordinance will be discussed at the council's next meeting.
The council also unanimously approved relaxing the town's roofing permit guidelines so homeowners can do smaller roofing jobs without permits.
The limit approved by the council is any roofing job that requires up to eight squares of shingles. Jobs that require more than eight squares would require permits.
In other business, the council:
• Approved no changes in the 1997 sewer rate over the 1996 rate.
• Agreed that the town will pick up leaves at Fairlane Mobile Home Park at no charge if the leaves are piled near the road.
• Approved a motion to cut trees on the island that are interfering with pavement work. Five trees along the canal will be cut down at town expense, and six trees on private property will be cut or trimmed by the property owners.
• Agreed to hire a temporary employee from the work-release center for minimum wage at the street department. The employee will work until the end of leaf season or until Dec. 21, whichever comes first.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 in the community building.
