Roger
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jan 2003
Posts: 128
Location: Provo
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject: Provo throwing the book at zoning violators - June 29, 2007 |
 |
|
| Quote: |
Friday, June 29, 2007
Traffic tickets, other misdemeanors the main focus
NATALIE ANDREWS - Daily Herald
Got a speeding ticket? Make sure you go to the right place to pay.
On Monday, Provo residents will have a courthouse that's all theirs -- the new Provo Justice Court at 310 W. Center St. It will handle the city's class B and C misdemeanors and infractions, including speeding tickets.
While that sounds like more work for the city, John Borget, Provo's director of administrative services, said the city couldn't be more excited.
The city is hoping that from the cases filed -- everything from zoning issues to domestic violence court and drug treatment -- they'll learn Provo's problems and be able to fix them.
So last year may have been the time to attempt to build without a permit, because the city now has the resources to take the case to court. Because city zoning laws aren't life-threatening they can get pushed to the back seat. But, now that Provo has a court, they can be a priority.
"If we see a specific concern, we can focus on that and make sure the community benefits," Borget said.
Justice Court Administrator Jody Meyer said the court is excited to offer a one-stop traffic school program. Before July 1, residents had to go to the district court for approval, then to the city to sign up, then back to the district court when complete.
But now, traffic school and traffic citations will be done at the justice court. In 2006, Meyer said, 16,000 traffic cases were filed.
Judge Vernon Rick Romney was sworn in as the district court judge Thursday.
"What we really want to do is fulfill the mission statement of Utah's justice courts, and that's to improve the quality of life," he said.
Romney has been a Provo prosecutor for 22 years.
Meyer said one of the objectives of the justice court will be to establish specialty courts that target certain needs, such as drug court, a driving-under-the-influence court and a domestic violence court.
It will operate similar to the District Court's drug court, in that a defendant enters a plea in abeyance and is supervised weekly, working with members of different agencies and coordinators to make sure that the defendant is completing goals successfully. The defendant does not have to be in custody and the success rate for graduates of the drug court program at the district court is high.
"It helps the citizens because it targets special needs," Meyer said, noting that the Provo Justice Court will be starting a domestic violence court and a mental health court.
Provo's District Court will see changes, too. Those filing a case will see a shorter line because they won't wait with the same people paying parking tickets.
"It will definitely impact the amount of people that come to that building," court executive Paul Vance said, referring to the district courthouse.
The District Court will be the appellate court for the justice court, but if one appeals his or her case, it will be reheard because the justice court is not a court of record. Both courts will handle small claims cases as well.
There will be a bit of transition. For instance, if you get a parking ticket this weekend in Provo, ask the officer exactly where he plans to file it -- because where he files it is where you'll wait in line.
Natalie Andrews can be reached at 344-2548 or nandrews@heraldextra.com.
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.
|
source: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/227321/4/
I sure hope that all zoning laws are used to improve "the quality of life" and not used as weapons by neighbors against their neighbors.
We need to be judged on our behavior -- not on our marital status. Family friendly neighborhoods are built upon the principles that people live by.
Please read http://ProvoCitizens.net/initiative/talkingpoints.html
_________________
Roger L. Brown
Chairman, ProvoCitizens.net
356-1032 |
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
