A bill that would give Riley County some authority over nuisance properties has cleared the first hurdle toward becoming law.
Senate Bill 162 passed the Senate Thursday on a 34 to 5 vote. The bill would grant Riley County the ability to force landowners to clean up nuisance properties in unincorporated areas. Commission Chair John Ford says it adds another tool to bring a relatively small amount of property owners into compliance.
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Ford says the bill mirrors Sedgwick County law allowing liens to be assessed on properties determined to be in need of cleanup. The county has been working through the process of drafting legislation for about a year.
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Before any abatement could occur, Riley County would be required to have obtained a conviction for a county code violation resulting from said nuisance within a year of any order being issued. Ford says the bill would be a win for neighboring property owners.
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The bill moves on to the House where it’s likely to pass, with little to no changes. If that happens it would become law on or before July 1.
