The borough assembly has advanced a measure to strengthen Wrangell’s public nuisance law, voting unanimously Oct. 28 to approve the first reading of a pair of ordinances. The proposals now head to a public hearing and vote at the Nov. 12 assembly meeting.

The ordinances would fix a gap left in 2019, when the nuisances chapter in municipal code was updated but nothing was included to set a violation and assess a fine.

“This ordinance corrects that oversight,” a staff report explained to the assembly.

One ordinance, No. 1093, would incorporate a nuisance violation into code, and the second, No. 1094, would set the fine at $100 per violation.

Police Chief Gene Meek said the goal is to “put some teeth” in the law.

“To the best of my knowledge, we haven’t written any tickets under the ordinance — at least not since I’ve been here,” he said. Meek joined the department in July 2024. “It’s long overdue. There are too many properties that have been run down for a while and others with all sorts of things stored out in the open.”

The ordinances do not change the definition of a nuisance, they only set the fine.

Meek said the public hearing for the ordinances will likely focus on how the rules will be enforced and where limits should be set.

One provision in code that drew attention at the Oct. 28 assembly meeting says a nuisance includes “the public exposure of a person having a contagious disease.”

Assembly Member Jim DeBord asked for clarity: “Does that mean we’re going to fine someone with the flu for being out in public?”

Other listed nuisances include keeping an animal that continues to disturb neighbors after a warning, unchecked weeds, and accumulations that can attract flies or vermin. Activities that threaten public health or safety are also covered.

Meek said the borough wants to avoid neighbor disputes that “weaponize the ordinance.” He added that complaints may move through a review process before reaching police.

“It’s not like in other municipalities that just follow a set of building codes,” he said. “There will likely be a chain-of-command process involved.”

Without a clear violations section, Meek said the rules have been hard to enforce, even when problem properties are identified.

Residents will be able to comment at the Nov. 12 hearing, and assembly members may consider amendments.