Laserfiche WebLink
ORDINANCE NO. <br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF TIIE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, <br />INDIANA AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 2 -13 (A) AND (B) OF THE <br />SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO CONSOLIDATE THE CITY'S CODE <br />ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT INTO ONE <br />BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND TO MAKE ALL OTHER CHANGES <br />CONSISTENT THEREWITH <br />STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT <br />Under the authority of Ind. Code Section 36- 4 -9 -4, the South Bend Municipal Code at <br />Chapter 2, Article 4, Section 2 -13 (A) (7) establishes a Code Enforcement Department and a <br />separate Building Department as two of nine South Bend executive departments. The various <br />functions of those two City executive departments are listed at Section 2 -13 (B) (8) and (9) of <br />that Chapter and Article. <br />The Indiana Code authorizes a city, upon ordinance passed by the legislative body at the <br />recommendation of the city executive, to "terminate departments" and to "transfer to or from <br />those departments any powers, duties, functions, or obligations." I.C.36- 4- 9 -4(d) (1) and (2). <br />The City has reviewed the functions of the Code Enforcement and Building departments <br />and the needs of the City and its citizens, and has concluded that a higher level of citizen service, <br />with greater efficiencies, at reduced taxpayer cost, can be achieved by combining the two <br />departments into one new department to be known as the "Building Services Department." The <br />City has also considered that of the 27 largest cities within the State of Indiana, two thirds of <br />them have consolidated their Code Enforcement and Building departments, including the cities <br />of Indianapolis and Evansville. The experience of these cities has been positive. Additionally, <br />South Bend has established an aggressive goal of eliminating vacant and abandoned homes, and <br />consolidation of the Building and Code Enforcement Departments will help achieve this <br />objective through maximizing the skill and talent of both Departments' staff. The county -wide <br />work performed by the Building Department will continue to be done at its current high level of <br />service. <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF <br />THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA as follows: <br />Section I. Chapter 2, Article 4, Section 2 -13 (A) (8) and (9) of the South Bend <br />Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: <br />Section 2.13 Departments established <br />