NEWS
A6 • BCR RECORDER • MARCH 1, 2012
Boone considers parking fines By Mark Hansel mhansel@nky.com
The Boone County Fiscal Court appears ready to approve an ordinance designed to address parking woes that have plagued the county for years. Fiscal Court has scheduled a second reading of the ordinance, with an opportunity for public comment Feb. 21. At the first reading of the ordinance Jan. 24, Boone County Administrator Jeff Earlywine said the new citation will allow the county to address parking problems more efficiently and effectively. Earlywine said the existing system is a drain on resources and law enforcement officers’ time. New fines would range from $30 for the first or second offense within a year and $60 for additional offenses. Under the current system, violators are on the hook for the fine plus at least $143 in court costs. Currently the county uses a state citation form that must be handed to the driver of a vehicle, and the disposition of the offense is handled in district court. “It’s a considerable commitment that takes (officers) away from patrol and other law enforcement duties that might be a little more needed in the community,” he said. The numbers suggest parking violations have become a huge problem in Boone County and motorists may be realizing the limits to county en-
forcement. From Jan. 1, 2006, to Aug. 31, 2011, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department responded to 17,263 vehicle complaints. Of that number 21 percent were for parking issues and 24 percent were for abandoned vehicles. Of the remaining calls, 46 percent were related to speeding or reckless operation of a motor vehicle. County officials say the creation of a county parking citation, similar to that used in many cities, would greatly reduce the number of man hours needed to address parking disputes in the county. About 80,000 Boone County residents, roughly two-thirds of the population, live in unincorporated areas. As a result, the sheriff’s department is a county agency dealing with parking problems more common in a medium-size city. Lt. Col. Rob Reuthe of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said the county needs a method of enforcement that better addresses parking disputes common in residential areas. “We have no tools currently to move those cars unless we go and search the people out, hope that they are home, knock on the door and actually make contact,” Reuthe said. “The reality (is that), if we actually find the person, the minimum that they are going to pay is $143 in court costs, plus the actual fine. That’s a whole lot for somebody to pay who makes a mistake about where they park.” Most county parking complaints
originate in Burlington, Hebron and unincorporated areas around Florence, which are not cities, but have a similar residential and commercial composition. The proposed ordinance would include a lower, graduated penalty structure and a more streamlined method of collection common in municipalities. Violators would be issued a citation with a $30 civil penalty for a first or second offense within a one-year period. Subsequent citations issued within that time would include a $60 penalty. A citation that is unsuccessfully contested, however, could include a $500 civil penalty. Violators would also be required to pay towing and storage charges, if applicable. A five-member Boone County Parking Violation Hearing Board, consisting of county residents not elected or appointed to a county office and who do not work for the Fiscal Court, would rule on contested violations. The person who is issued a citation would have 14 days to pay the penalty or request a hearing to contest the ticket. Reuthe said there will be a public information campaign prior to the implementation of the ordinance. “We do anticipate a warning phase if the ordinance is passed,” Reuthe said. “We’ll go for a period of time and put out some pretty good warnings and educate the public about the responsibilities for parking.”
POSTED NOTICES ALL PERSONS ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE LANDS OF THE FOLLOWING ARE POSTED AGAINST HUNTING, FISHING AND TRESPASSING. VIOLATORS OF THIS NOTICE ARE SUBJECT TO FINES. NOTICE-NAMES WILL BE ADDED TO THE FOLLOWING LIST FOR $1 A MONTH. THE FOLLOWING LIST WILL BE CARRIED IN THIS PAPER MONTHLY (EXPIRATION DATE FOLLOWS YOUR ZIP CODE)( WE WILL NOT BE SENDING BILLS OUT) TO HAVE A PROPERTY LISTED, PLEASE CONTACT 513-768-8615 ADAMS-ZERHUSEN FARM V. ADAMS FARM D.L. ANDERSON FARMS BAKER, CLARE, JOHNSON BAKER, JOHN R.L. BENNE & J.N. JOHNSON, THE BENSON FARM ELLEN & CHARLES BLACK WM BOBACK, CHAS HOTCHKISS CHARLES BODIE, CHRIS & SARAH BURTON ROBERT & EUGENIA CICERO RAY & LOIS CLARKSTON CARL CLIFTON AND CARL CLIFTON II, REESE DAVIES REEDER, NIN D.S. DILLON & H.R. SNELLING EM-A-NON ACRES, LLC JESSE EMERSON CHARLES & JANET FUGATE BEN, BEN JR & JAY GRANT FARM RICHARD F. GREGORY, SR. RICK & TERESA GREGORY, PAUL AND BELINDA GRIMES, C & C HOLLIS FARM GREG & LAURA HOSKINS, BEVERLY HUESLMAN HOWARD LANCASTER JEFF LAWRENCE MIKE LAWRENCE JOHN & KAREN MAURER GREGORY A. MCDONALD, KEN AND CHRISTY NEVELS JACK NICKERSON JEAN PADDOCK, LOWRY PRICE ROBERT C. ROBINSON SCROGGINS FARM, WOODROW A. SCHUSTER, JR. SEBREE FARM TERRY & PAM SETTERS LESLIE & JANICE SIMPSON VIRGIL & NOREEN SOUDER CHARLENE STREUTKER TILLMAN FARMS KATHLEEN UTZ FARM KATHLEEN UTZ FARM ROBERT L. & JOY L. WALTON JESSIE & VONTHEA WEBSTER JASON & ERICA YARBROUGH MIKE & SUSAN ZOVATH
9800 EAST BEND RD. 9824 EAST BEND RD. 14285 BROWN RD. 11734 LOWER RIVER RD. 2093 BEAVER RD. 3247 PETERSBURG RD., 6143 ELWOOD AVE. 4134 RIVER RD. 10870 LOWER RIVER RD. 6246 ROGERS LANE, 2416 WINTER WOODS CT. 8190 WOODCREEK DRIVE. 2724 PETERSBURG RD RT.20 2976 AND 2984 LIMABURG ROAD, 4929 AND 4965 LIMABURG RD 7488 EAST BEND RD., 4602 BURLINGTON PIKE 351 RICHWOOD ROAD 4962 WATERLOO ROAD 10060 BEIL ROAD 5152 PETERSBURG RD. 3045 HATHAWAY RD, 3013 HATHAWAY RD, 11583 RICHWOOD CHURCH ROAD, 3439 BULLITTSVILLE ROAD FARM @ ROCKY SPRINGS& BURLINGTON PK 9217 CAMP ERNST RD. 5648 RABBIT HASH RD. 3464 FEELEY RD,. 3570 FEELEY RD,. 9175 EAST BEND ROAD 543 ROSEBUD CIRCLE, 9219 CAMP ERNST ROAD 12754 CLEEK LANE, 6766 UTZ LANE, 12 ACRES MORE OR LESS 1881 ALEXANDER RD. 10996 DIXIE HIGHWAY 7769 EAST BEND ROAD, 9712 SULLIVAN RD. CAMP ERNST LANE 13175 POOLE RD., LOTS A, B, C, D. 9223 CAMP ERNST RD. 4202 RIVER RD. 10495 GUNPOWDER ROAD 1518 HICKS PIKE, 5240 PETERSBURG RD. PETERSBURG RD. nr corner w/RIVERVIEW DR. 5824 ORIENT ST. N. 13483 POOLE ROAD 10128 BEIL RD. 2655 LONGBRANCH RD.
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Florence authorities are investigating four fires set at two apartment complexes, including Walnut Creek Apartments, where plywood covers windows broken out as a result of the fires. The fires were set in publically accessible areas of Walnut Creek and Parkland Apartments. PATRICK REDDY/THE ENQUIRER
Officials probe 4 apartment fires By Brenna R. Kelly bkelly@nky.com
FLORENCE — Authorities are investigating four fires that were set at two Florence apartment complexes last month. Three of the fires occurred within two hours on Feb. 17, the fourth happened Feb. 18, said Florence Police Capt. Linny Cloyd. The fires were all set in publicly accessible areas at the Parkland Apartments and the Walnut Creek apartments, which are less than a mile apart on Florence’s east side. Fire officials would not say how the fires were started. “Obviously it’s of great concern,” said Florence Fire Chief Marc Muench. “We’re working together with the police department to keep an eye on things.” “The first fire occurred about 9:35 p.m. Friday at the Parkland Apartments on Dixie Highway. The second fire was reported at 10:23 p.m. at the Walnut Creek apartments on Shenandoah Drive. The third fire was back at Parkland about 11:38 p.m. Then on Feb. 18 another fire was set at about 9:30 p.m. at the Walnut Creek apartments. That fire was set in a storage area, Muench said. “The fire on Saturday night was significant,” he said. The fire was set in a first-floor storage room in
the three-story building. The fire spread to the second-floor apartment leaving it uninhabitable, he said. Ten other units in the 23unit building suffered smoke and water damage. Residents of those units were expected to move back in a few days, Muench said. A damage estimate was not available, he said. No one was injured in the fires, authorities said. Two Florence detectives who are part of the Boone County Fire Investigation Team have interviewed “persons of interest” in the case, but no arrests have been made, Cloyd said. Police have increased patrols at the complex and also have plain clothes officers checking the buildings, he said. Walnut Creek manager Heather Tackett said she could not comment Feb. 20 about the fires. “We are working with our residents, they are our number one priority,” she said. Representatives from Parkland Apartments could not be reached for comment. Police ask that residents report any suspicious activity to Boone County dispatch at 859-371-1234. Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call Florence Police at 859-6475420 or Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040.
Four local Target stores, including Florence, are expanding their food areas to include fresh groceries. PROVIDED
Local Target store adding fresh produce By Shauna Steigerwald ssteigerwald@enquirer.com
Four local Target stores are expanding their grocery sections to include fresh produce, fresh meat and pre-packaged baked goods. Remodeling, which is expected to be complete by late March, is currently under way at the Western Hills store in Westwood; the Fields Ertel store in Deerfield Township; the
Cincinnati Central store in Oakley; and the Florence store. The expanded food areas, which the company calls its ”Expanded Fresh Food Layout,” are already in place at the Blue Ash and Newport stores, both of which opened in 2011. Along with the grocery additions, the four stores’ beauty, home, shoe and baby departments will also get updates.