SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye City Council and Sleepy Eye Blight Committee considered rental, parking and window issues at a two-hour workshop in the Council Chambers Tuesday.

City Attorney Alissa Fischer said property rental licenses and rental property inspections are required to prevent overcrowding, fire hazards, utilities, heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues. Rental license forms are available at the City Office. Property inspections will be done within 10 days of license application.

Renters who fail to keep scheduled inspection appointments and property owners who do not make required property improvements will be fined. In addition, rental property owners without licenses could be charged with a misdemeanor violation and fined up to $1,000, Fischer said.

She will draft rental property license and inspection resolutions with a $100 fee for two years for the March city council meeting.

Retiring City Manager Mark Kober said rental property owners are traceable by their utility bills.

“Rental licenses are not required for renting to immediate family,” Fischer said.

Kober said immediate family renters could satisfy insurance requirements with formal rental agreements.

Fischer said rental inspection procedures would be similar to the City of New Ulm with photos and notes filed online. She said rental dwelling standards include a kitchen, bathtub/shower, and locking windows.

“I think we should require carbon monoxide detectors too,” Fischer said.

Regarding parking regulations, Fischer said residents must only park momentarily on U.S. Highway 14 and cannot park on front yards or on anyplace other than streets and driveways, unless approved by the city council. Parking is not allowed on grass, gravel or dirt.

Broken windows and light fixtures are not allowed in residential or business structures. It was mentioned that a number of downtown windows are covered with painted plywood.

Kober suggested the Downtown Blight Committee draft downtown blight standards.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.