After months of deliberation, a divided Rochester City Council approved a new ordinance Monday that requires registration and inspection of residential rental properties. The vote was 4-3, with Councilmembers David Becker, Kim Russell and David Zemens dissenting. The ordinance, which has been significantly scaled back from its initial form, imposes no fees and relies on landlords to register and inspect their own properties. It also calls for the city’s fire department to audit at least 10 … [Read more...]