Council OKs ordinance overhaul
Jun. 22—HIGH POINT — The City Council on Tuesday approved a series of amendments to the High Point code of ordinances to comply with a new state law.
Senate Bill 300 prohibits local governments from criminally enforcing certain offenses and requires that they spell out what is criminalized in their ordinances.
The new law is touted by supporters as a "police and criminal justice reform" measure.
The revisions were approved by the council on a vote of 8-0 without Mayor Jay Wagner, who did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
They spell out a slew of things that are punishable as misdemeanor criminal offenses under the city's ordinance — not state law — at the request of High Point police officials.
These include conducting or participating in a parade that does not have a city permit, as well as ordinance violations related to foot races and bicycle races, block parties and festivals.
The ordinance also criminalizes picketing on a public street or sidewalk by 15 or more people if the group doesn't give the city "notice of intent to picket," as well as violations of what the city deems "standards of conduct for picketing activity," such as carrying signs or placards with "fighting words or threats that would tend to provoke a reasonable person to breach the peace."
The ordinance spells out that failing to leave a picketing assembly when police order a crowd to disperse is punishable as a misdemeanor.
In addition, the ordinance states that urinating or defecating on any public place or on private property in a location visible from a public place, as well as aggressive solicitation and loitering for the purpose of engaging in drug activity, are punishable as misdemeanors.
At the request of the city's Public Services Department, the ordinance spells out that tampering with solid waste containers, depositing medical waste improperly in the waste stream or dumping solid waste on open lots are punishable as misdemeanors.
According to the city, the decriminalized parts of the ordinance include all sections of the minimum housing and abandoned structure codes except those that relate to unsafe buildings.
In addition, small parts of the ordinance that have to do with fire prevention and protection, vehicle lease or rental taxes, as well as provisions that are already regulated by state law have been decriminalized.
Also Tuesday, the council unanimously approved:
—The appointment of Deputy City Clerk Mary Brooks as interim city clerk effective July 1, upon the retirement of City Clerk Lisa Vierling.
—An incentive payment of $108,000 to Elliott Sidewalk Communities for 275 N. Elm St. The firm was hired by the city in 2017 as "master developer" to guide growth on about 6 acres around Truist Point stadium. The city to date has paid the firm $599,500 for design, engineering, architecture, marketing and other tasks associated with the development of this area.
In addition to this, the city's agreement with the firm requires incentives payments of $2 per square foot of office and retail development the company delivers. The 54,000-square-foot building at 275 N. Elm St. has been completed and is occupied by the Stock and Grain food hall and Key Risk insurance offices.
