Northfield Village Council considers adding drone regulations
NORTHFIELD – Council is considering adding Section 642.18 to the codified ordinances, which would establish regulations relating to “unmanned aerial devices,” or drones.
Legislation was introduced at the Sept. 27 meeting. The ordinance prohibits an operator from flying such a device more than 400 feet above ground and within 400 feet of certain ground locations.
Those sites include public or private school property without written consent from school officials, municipal property without written consent from the mayor, active crime scenes, active fire/accident scenes and communications towers.
Operation of the devices above roadways is prohibited if they would distract drivers, as is operation with intent to view or photograph people on private property or in a manner that endangers persons, wildlife or property, or disturbs people or wildlife.
Operators also would be banned from flying the devices between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise and outside of the line of sight of the operator or a second observer, or when the operator’s piloting capabilities are hampered..Drones could not be equipped with any weapon or explosive device and they could not be used for commercial purposes without registering with the Federal Aviation Administration. A person must have their federal certificate in their possession when operating.
The regulations would not prohibit the use of drones by any municipal, state or federal agency for lawful purposes and in a lawful manner.
The legislation states “should any portion of this section be declared invalid by any court action, the remaining provisions, paragraphs, sentences or words shall remain in full force and effect.”
And finally, the legislation would make violators of the regulations guilty of a third-degree misdemeanor.
SEWER HIKES ON HOLD
Moving on to third reading will be an ordinance which would increase sewer maintenance fees for businesses and schools.
It was noted the village has not modified fees in 10 years for service provided by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. The hike was proposed “to make the fees more equitable between users based upon the amount of flow placed into the system.”
For residents, each single home or family unit in a multi-family building would continue to pay $33 per quarter regardless of the number of connections made to the system.
Motels and business-related dormitories which are now paying $30.87 per quarter would see an annual increase of 3 percent starting in 2023.
Commercial users/establishments which now pay $86.77 per quarter would pay between that amount and $4,339 depending on their water usage, with the rates increasing by 3 percent annually.
Industrial users, which now pay between $86.77 and $130.15, would pay between $86.77 and $4,339, with a 3 percent annual increase, while the school rate of $2.35 per pupil would increase by 2 percent each year starting in 2023.
If a commercial or industrial customer’s average water usage varies from its currently assigned average water usage category during the most recent 12-month consecutive period, the property owner could request an adjustment to the quarterly charge.
New businesses could request the sewer billing agent to place them in a different water usage category based upon their expected average monthly water usage amount for that type and size of business.
Residential sewer maintenance fee invoices that are paid in full for the entire calendar year by Jan. 31 of each year would be entitled to a $12 discount on the amount owed for the entire year.
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Northfield Village Council considers adding drone regulations
