Sands Point village officials approved a law on Tuesday to increase fines for building code and zoning violations.
The board voted to amend the village code titled “Penalties for Offenses” to align the village of Sands Point’s penalties more closely with neighboring villages, officials said.
The law hasn’t been updated since 1998, according to the officials.
Mayor Edward Adler said the board deferred approval of the law at the May 24 meeting for further discussion.
“At that time we deferred the approval and the adoption pending discussion on the penalty amounts,” he said.
The new law states that residents can now be fined $500, an increase of $150, for a first violation; if issued a second offense the fine is no less than $3,000 and no more than $5,000; for a third offense the penalty is $5,000 compared with the previous fine of $700. The law also states there is no longer the penalty of imprisonment.
According to village documents, “the board determines that it would be beneficial to the public safety and welfare of the village, to increase the amount of the fines set forth in village code and to remove those penalties relating to imprisonment.”
Also at the meeting, the board announced the election results.
Incumbent Trustees Lynn Najman and Peter Forman as well as Village Justice Alyson Adler, who each ran unopposed, were re-elected.
Najman was elected to a two-year term with 81 votes, Forman was elected to a two-year term with 82 votes, and Adler won a four-year justice term with 84 votes.
