Politics & Government
Marlborough May Increase Fines For City Ordinance Violations
The city council will hold a public hearing on the local law changes in February.
MARLBOROUGH, MA — Marlborough is attempting to update city laws dealing with ordinance violations — and that means fines for some non-criminal violations may soon increase.
The updates are being done to bring city ordinances in line with state laws, according to City Solicitor Jason Grossfield. He is proposing an update that includes setting specific fines for each violation, as opposed to a range; instituting fees for repeat violations; and updating who in the city can enforce ordinances and issue tickets.
"As an alternative to criminal enforcement, the non-criminal procedure allows city personnel to write a 'ticket' to be paid as a penalty for a violation," he said in a memo to city councilors.
Find out what's happening in Marlboroughfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Marlborough City Council voted Monday to hold a public hearing on the updates in the council's Legislative and Legal Affairs subcommittee chaired by At-Large Councilor Samantha Perlman on Feb. 13.
Here are the ordinances and proposed fine updates for each one:1st offense: $100
2nd offense: $200
3rd and subsequent offenses: $300
Find out what's happening in Marlboroughfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
| Ordinance | Old fine | New Fine |
| Minimum standards for human habitation | $50 | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and every subsequent offense: $300 |
| Minimum Standards for Onsite Sewage Treatment, Disposal Systems | $50 | |
| Regulations for Minimum Standards for Food Establishment | $50 | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
| State plumbing code | $50 | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
| Building permits | N/A | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
| Certificate of legal multifamily dwelling units | Not less than $100 | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
| Riding motorized scooters | $25 | 1st offense: $50 Each subsequent: $50 |
| Maintaining Abandoned and/or Foreclosing Residential Properties | N/A | $200 |
| Stormwater Management | N/A | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
| Smoking and other use District; all district of tobacco products in school buildings or school grounds or in athletics | N/A | $25 |
| Other Board of Health regulations | 1st offense: $100 2nd offense: $200 3rd and subsequent offenses: $300 |
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
