Parkersburg City Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl asks questions regarding registered and unregistered landlords and how a proposed ordinance impacts them during a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

PARKERSBURG — Members of Parkersburg City Council, meeting as the Committee of the Whole, voted Monday to forward an ordinance requiring the registration and inspection of residential rental units to the full council.

The ordinance will appear for first reading on the agenda of the regular council meeting Dec. 9 in council chambers.

Code Enforcement Director Andy Nestor and Development Director Ryan Barber answered questions from the council and provided further insight about the language of the ordinance.

Multiple council members inquired about the implications of failure to meet basic safety requirements upon inspection. Nestor said the code only required one inspection every two years unless they found reason for further investigations such as a fire happening between inspections.

“The goal of this is not to run people out of their properties,” said Mayor Tom Joyce. “The goal of this is to enhance our ability as a governing body to hold property owners accountable.”

Code Enforcement Director Andy Nestor responds to questions from the members of the Parkersburg City Council on Monday evening. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Nestor said if the property owner, the owner of the deed and not a land contract, continually fails to comply with safety codes, they will handle each situation differently.

“It’s essentially a case-by-case basis,” said Barber.

Councilman Rob Moore said he rents out properties of his own and had questions about specifics like what safety features were required and what weren’t.

Nestor read aloud the inspection list and said their goal is simply to ensure that the landlord is renting out a safe space. This means proper electrical wiring, plumbing, adequate emergency equipment and more.

Nestor described various situations he’s seen between landlords and tenants and said the two-year inspection requirement is the best way to prevent disputes between parties.

“This ordinance really should’ve been passed 15 years ago,” he said.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl inquired about whether council had the right to take uncompliant landlords to court if they didn’t pay the fees or alter the issues noted during an inspection.

Nestor said the goal is to correct issues, not enforce penalties that could result in tenants being evicted.

“We definitely have that right but it never punishes anybody but the tenants,” he said. “They did nothing wrong; maybe they did some damage but when it comes down to it that would only penalize the tenants and not the owner.”

Nestor said the initial inspections will be difficult, as they try to ensure landlords understand and comply with the regulations. After a while, he said, landlords will know what needs to be done and the inspections will go quicker every time.

“It’s going to get easier and easier because those landlords are going to be educated on what they have to do in order to pass the inspections,” said Nestor.

Barber agreed the goal was to ensure landlords complied with the safety guidelines for the protection of both tenant and property owner.

The ordinance was referred to the full council on an 8-0 vote, with Councilman Zak Huffman absent.

If approved by council on two readings, the ordinance would mean landlords cannot rent, lease or advertise to lease a property until a valid residential rental unit license is obtained. Upon the effective date of the ordinance, landlords have 120 days to obtain the license, which costs $25 per unit per year.

Landlords can apply for the license at the city Finance Department. Nestor said they’re working on creating an online application for easier access.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com