SOUTH BEND — An ordinance that would require carbon monoxide detectors in rental properties was recently approved by St. Joseph County. But could it be turned down by a state board with a track record of rejecting similar ordinances?
After all, a CO detector law crafted by neighboring Michigan City was unanimously rejected earlier this month by the 11-member Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission.
The ordinance would have required detectors in newly built homes, but commissioners decided itwas defective because of language-related issues.
At the same Dec. 5 meeting, commissioners postponed taking action on St. Joseph County’s ordinance, saying more time would be needed to review the law, which can’t take effect without their approval.
Commissioners also decided at the meeting not to consider an appeal filed by Chesterton, Ind., for its CO detector ordinance that they rejected in October.
And although they approved a LaPorte ordinance in May that requires CO detectors in newly built homes, the effort took that city three attempts to accomplish.
The pattern of difficulties with approving such ordinances has caused some officials to question whether commissioners are favoring the viewpoint of construction and building trades as they make decisions about detectors for deadly gas, which is produced by malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances and is colorless and odorless.