(KAIR)--A controversial planned change to the City of Atchison's handling of code enforcement has been abandoned. 

City Manager Trey Cocking tells MSC News public concerns with the International Property Maintenance Code led to the decision. 
The City had been seeking public input into the proposal, which was supposed to be collected through August 1st. 

The implementation of the IPMC was to provide more teeth for the City's enforcement of code violations. 

Cocking says feedback from the public indicates residents want enforcement, just not necessarily through the use of the IPMC. 

Facebook has recently been alive with residents questioning the plan, with privacy concerns among those that have been posted. At least one local lawyer cited possible issues. 

Among the earliest, and most vocal of the opponents to implementation, has been Atchison business owner Bill Murphy. 
In a recent interview with MSC News, he outlined a lengthy list of concerns, ranging from potential constitutional violations to the impact it could have on vulnerable local residents. “The thing that probably disturbs me the most is that it’s going to focus on the people who are elderly and poor because these people won’t be able to comply with some of these codes,” Murphy stated. “There will be people that could be forced out of their homes.”

Cocking has long maintained, pending the public input, changes would be made to the code to address those areas deemed to be problematic; and, he has cited the use of the plan by other cities in the local area. 

Despite the decision to not implement the plan, public input is still wanted. 
Cocking says that will allow the city to try to hone the existing code to make it easier to understand, while allowing enforcement but maintaining residents' right to privacy.