A series of pending code changes continues to draw concerns from Upper Arlington City Council members.

Council reviewed the code changes in detail at last week's conference session and hashed them out again Monday night at the first reading of the legislation that would make the changes permanent.

City attorney Jeanine Hummer said the code changes are intended to increase efficiency in the delivery of services and reduce the voluminous amount of paperwork that council has to review.

However, council members took exception with several code changes that would authorize city staff to make decisions without bringing them before council, such as rejecting all bids in a request-for-proposal process without explanation.

"If someone's being unethical, where's the oversight, where's the checks and balances?" said Frank Ciotola.

Changes to the building code that would allow residents to recycle stormwater in rain barrels and rain gardens drew questions from council members Mary Ann Krauss and Linda Mauger.

Krauss noted that as the legislation is currently written, residents could choose rain barrels in unsightly colors.

"We could change it to (requiring) a neutral color or a green color," said development director Dean Sivinski.

Mauger said she understands the environmental benefits of rain gardens, but is concerned they could become eyesores if not carefully regulated.

"I guess my vision is a very wet area with mosquitoes that was not meant to be there over time," Mauger said.

Sivinski said the code enforcement officers would monitor properties that have obtained permits for rain gardens.

"We would continue to follow up with that and make sure it continues to comply with our requirements," Sivinski said.

A second council reading for the code-change legislation is scheduled for Nov. 23, with the third and final reading and a vote scheduled for Dec. 7.