Our ordinances should be easier to read. I went to law school, I can read them and decipher them most of the time, however I have trouble with them from time to time. Problem is . . . you shouldn’t have to decipher them. We need them to be more clearly written and more obvious as to the intent.
I only bring this up because last night at the plan commission there was an ordinance that was up that I had requested some changes and they weren’t made. There were, of course, logical explanations for each of missing items. However, what I really wanted was for the public to be able to pick up the ordinance and read the intent, which was why I added the language. (Admittedly, it wasn’t well crafted, which is why two weeks ago I sought the advice of staff instead of simply making motions from the floor.) In several places I added language because the staff and others said what the ordinance would do, but it wasn’t in writing in the ordinance. One shouldn’t have to go back and review the video of the plan commission to figure out what the intent is, they should be able to look in the ordinance and find it.
I know it seems nitpicky when I ask questions about the way things are written. I know it seems like micromanaging, but in the case last night, and in several others, simply saying what we mean makes it much simpler for the citizens who have to read our ordinances. I think its time we start drafting our ordinances in more plain language and adding those extra lines so the intent is clear. One could even make the argument that it’s business friendly!
