The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a nuisance as something causing harm or injury, or “one that is annoying, unpleasant, or obnoxious.”  The City of Fishers is considering an ordinance aimed at addressing “common nuisance.”

Mayor Scott Fadness and City Attorney Chris Greisl explained that the city is using a lot of resources to answer 911 calls placed at a certain group of commercial businesses. They have researched common nuisance ordinances already in place in the cities of Fort Wayne and South Bend.

A “common nuisance ordinance” essentially tracks emergency calls and if they become too numerous, the city would work with the business owner to establish an action plan to reduce the number of emergency runs.

If the business refuses to work out an action plan with the city, or does not adhere to the action plan it establishes with the city, fines would be charged to these businesses.

Several of the offenders were local hotels, but city officials did not reveal the names of the establishments during the Monday night work session.  Council member Brad DeReamer urged the city to name those problem businesses in the future.

Fadness said he will present a proposed common nuisance ordinance to the council in August for further consideration.

In other items on the City Council work session agenda:

–City officials told the council that in new home construction, 90% of the city code inspections fail and 75%-80% of the second inspections fail.  Members of the council were split on how to handle the issue, particularly on whether to charge more for each inspection step.  Mayor Fadness said this is a public policy question and the added charges would simply help reimburse the city for its own expenses of conducting the code inspections.  The mayor promised to bring more than one option next month for council members to consider.

–An area with about 35 homes in the area of 101st Street and Flat Fork Creek may wish to have a voluntary annexation into the city of Fishers due to septic system problems.  Director of Engineering Jason Taylor told the council several homeowners are facing septic systems that are failing.  He has had discussions with homeowners there and it is possible to use funding from the Indiana Finance Authority to provide a 0% interest 20-year loan to bring the area into the city’s water and sewer services.  The key is having enough homeowners sign an annexation remonstration waiver.  The council will be updated on this issue.