TRINITY — The Trinity City Council beefed up ordinances dealing with requirements for construction and renovation, as well as for noise during use of heavy equipment.
At the meeting Thursday, an ordinance establishing permit fees, contractor requirements and other procedures, including enforcement, was approved unanimously.
Code Enforcement Officer Cliff Prestwood said that many of the changes were simply to bring the city’s law in line with state law, but it also add customer service inspections to ensure that the city’s water system is not contaminated.
Additionally, the permitting and administration fees were addressed, as the city is required to adopt fees every 10 years but has not reviewed the current fees since 1997.
The city also passed an ordinance to limit the hours for use of heavy equipment, such as trenchers, horizontal borers and other related digging activities.
The ordinance limits such activity to weekdays — Mondays through Fridays — from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Prestwood said that aside from noise concerns, it would save the city money, since Public Works employees won’t be called out at all hours because a contractor had broken a water or sewer main, as had happened numerous times during the recent addition of fiberoptic cable in the city.
City Manager Tracy Hutto said that the city also has contracted with 811, a know-before-you-dig number, for their services and will require a search prior to any excavation.
In a separate matter, the city discussed a survey being done by the Economic Development Corp. regarding an online survey being conducted.
The survey’s results, while preliminary, show that residents seek more job and employment opportunities and more retail options, particularly cafes.
To participate in the survey, go to
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeo8CMmLTlu5xe-QJ3PDb0xZAN-4ne_nlzXxyEystV-QpwoIw/viewform
