Empathy List Archives

universitycities@lists.imla.org

[BULK] Hello

Wilkki, George

Fri, Aug 14, 2009 12:21 PM

Good morning.

I am a new member of this group, having joined IMLA in 2004. My name is George Wilkki. I am the City Solicitor (City Attorney) for the City of Windsor, Ontario. We are located immediately across the river from Detroit, Michigan. After being in private practise for 18 years I joined the City as a Legal Counsel in 1997. Our legal department consists of 7 lawyers, a student-at-law and 5 support staff. We handle as much in-house as resources allow, in the areas of real estate, general and personal injury litigation, employment law, by-law prosecutions, contracts, expropriation (condemnation) and advice to City Council and other departments.

We are a University town. The University of Windsor has 16,000 students. We also have St. Clair College which is growing rapidly, presently having 6,300 students on 2 campuses. Although there are on-campus residences, many students live in private accomodation off-campus. Single-family homes have been illegally converted into student housing. This presents fire safety problems and disruption of neighbourhoods.

I look forward to participating in this IMLA group.

George Wilkki
City Solicitor, Windsor
519-255-6100, ext. 6424

Good morning. I am a new member of this group, having joined IMLA in 2004. My name is George Wilkki. I am the City Solicitor (City Attorney) for the City of Windsor, Ontario. We are located immediately across the river from Detroit, Michigan. After being in private practise for 18 years I joined the City as a Legal Counsel in 1997. Our legal department consists of 7 lawyers, a student-at-law and 5 support staff. We handle as much in-house as resources allow, in the areas of real estate, general and personal injury litigation, employment law, by-law prosecutions, contracts, expropriation (condemnation) and advice to City Council and other departments. We are a University town. The University of Windsor has 16,000 students. We also have St. Clair College which is growing rapidly, presently having 6,300 students on 2 campuses. Although there are on-campus residences, many students live in private accomodation off-campus. Single-family homes have been illegally converted into student housing. This presents fire safety problems and disruption of neighbourhoods. I look forward to participating in this IMLA group. George Wilkki City Solicitor, Windsor 519-255-6100, ext. 6424

Elias, Abigail

Thu, Sep 3, 2009 6:51 PM

Welcome, George.

I missed your initial post. Your concerns and issues sound similar to
Ann Arbor, though illegal housing is less of a problem than noisy
parties and drinking. Our zoning code defines a family to include a
small group of unrelated individuals, so a group of students can live in
a single family home or duplex. However, we've had issues with bedroom
size, use of basements without escape windows for bedrooms, renting to
more students than are allowed. I haven't heard of any recently, but I
am guessing they haven't gone away.

When I worked for the City of Detroit I enjoyed the view of your fair
city to the south across the Detroit River - and would visit on occasion
for aikido and/or good food. Crossing over for lunch or Sunday dim sum
was easy in the days before 9/11.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information in this transaction is intended
only for the individual or entity named above. It may be legally
privileged and confidential. If you have received this information in
error, please notify me immediately and delete this transmission and any
other documents, files and information transmitted herewith. If the
reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby
notified that any disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of
this communication or its contents is strictly prohibited.

A mind once expanded by a new idea never returns to its original
dimensions. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

From: universitycities-bounces@lists.imla.org
[mailto:universitycities-bounces@lists.imla.org] On Behalf Of Wilkki,
George
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 8:21 AM
To: universitycities@lists.imla.org
Subject: [Universitycities] [BULK] Hello
Importance: Low

Good morning.

I am a new member of this group, having joined IMLA in 2004. My name is
George Wilkki. I am the City Solicitor (City Attorney) for the City of
Windsor, Ontario. We are located immediately across the river from
Detroit, Michigan. After being in private practise for 18 years I
joined the City as a Legal Counsel in 1997. Our legal department
consists of 7 lawyers, a student-at-law and 5 support staff. We handle
as much in-house as resources allow, in the areas of real estate,
general and personal injury litigation, employment law, by-law
prosecutions, contracts, expropriation (condemnation) and advice to City
Council and other departments.

We are a University town. The University of Windsor has 16,000
students. We also have St. Clair College which is growing rapidly,
presently having 6,300 students on 2 campuses. Although there are
on-campus residences, many students live in private accomodation
off-campus. Single-family homes have been illegally converted into
student housing. This presents fire safety problems and disruption of
neighbourhoods.

I look forward to participating in this IMLA group.

George Wilkki
City Solicitor, Windsor
519-255-6100, ext. 6424

Welcome, George. I missed your initial post. Your concerns and issues sound similar to Ann Arbor, though illegal housing is less of a problem than noisy parties and drinking. Our zoning code defines a family to include a small group of unrelated individuals, so a group of students can live in a single family home or duplex. However, we've had issues with bedroom size, use of basements without escape windows for bedrooms, renting to more students than are allowed. I haven't heard of any recently, but I am guessing they haven't gone away. When I worked for the City of Detroit I enjoyed the view of your fair city to the south across the Detroit River - and would visit on occasion for aikido and/or good food. Crossing over for lunch or Sunday dim sum was easy in the days before 9/11. Abigail Elias, Chief Assistant City Attorney | City of Ann Arbor, Michigan | mailto:aelias@a2gov.org <mailto:aelias@a2gov.org> | NOTE NEW TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Office: (734) 794-6170 (+ Ext. 41888 for me) | Direct: (734) 794-6188 | Internal extension: 41888 | Fax: (734) 994-4954 | Non-City Cell: (734) 320-7953 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information in this transaction is intended only for the individual or entity named above. It may be legally privileged and confidential. If you have received this information in error, please notify me immediately and delete this transmission and any other documents, files and information transmitted herewith. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication or its contents is strictly prohibited. A mind once expanded by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. From: universitycities-bounces@lists.imla.org [mailto:universitycities-bounces@lists.imla.org] On Behalf Of Wilkki, George Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 8:21 AM To: universitycities@lists.imla.org Subject: [Universitycities] [BULK] Hello Importance: Low Good morning. I am a new member of this group, having joined IMLA in 2004. My name is George Wilkki. I am the City Solicitor (City Attorney) for the City of Windsor, Ontario. We are located immediately across the river from Detroit, Michigan. After being in private practise for 18 years I joined the City as a Legal Counsel in 1997. Our legal department consists of 7 lawyers, a student-at-law and 5 support staff. We handle as much in-house as resources allow, in the areas of real estate, general and personal injury litigation, employment law, by-law prosecutions, contracts, expropriation (condemnation) and advice to City Council and other departments. We are a University town. The University of Windsor has 16,000 students. We also have St. Clair College which is growing rapidly, presently having 6,300 students on 2 campuses. Although there are on-campus residences, many students live in private accomodation off-campus. Single-family homes have been illegally converted into student housing. This presents fire safety problems and disruption of neighbourhoods. I look forward to participating in this IMLA group. George Wilkki City Solicitor, Windsor 519-255-6100, ext. 6424