Over occupancy ordinance passes in WL

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. (WLFI) - After months of debate the West Lafayette City Council has passed a renewed Over Occupancy Ordinance.  For more than 2 hours concerned citizens, lawyers and landlords weighed in on the newly amended ordinance. Some council members attempted to table the decision, but that failed twice. 

In the end, the council voted passing it, 4 to 3, leaving some landlords and property managers unhappy.  Chief Operating Officer of Trinitas Ventures Loren King said he thinks the final proposal was rushed.

"I'm disappointed.  It was very clear from the public discussion that the public did not receive the current draft of the ordinance - for the most part - until today," said King.

King said changes in the ordinance will require landlords to be excessively involved in renter's lives, something he doesn't want for Trinitas Ventures more than 200 residents.

"It's going to be extremely intrusive into the lives of our apartment residents," said King.

New guidelines will require owners to monitor cars parked at properties, monitor the names posted on mailboxes, and even the names on the checks they receive.  But West Lafayette Councilman Peter Bunder said the amended ordinance is necessary.
 

"I think we were able to make the point that we are trying to meet the Appellate Courts concerns about the ambiguity of the housing ordinance and and I think we've addressed that," said Bunder.
 

After 6 months of discussion, West Lafayette Resident Ted Wachs said he's thankful the ordinance finally passed.

"If there's code enforcement, there will be less overcrowding, less noise, less trash.  The neighbors will have a chance, whereas if there's overcrowding and all the things that go with it, the neighborhoods are going to be drowned. That's not good for the neighborhoods or the city," said Wachs.

This was definitely a policy change that divided opinions.

To read a full text of the ordinance, click here (PDF) .