Clock starts ticking on nuisance properties

Two property owners who have failed to respond to the city’s nuisance letters are to be told that the clock is now ticking on their clean-up efforts. The owners of a storage container on Ryan Street and a messy property on Sewell Street have both already been asked to abate the nuisance on their land but, with little movement in sight, the council felt it had no choice but to take the next step.

The owner of the messy property claimed she had “worked her heart out” to clean up her space, said Mayor Paul Brooks. However, said the mayor, the results are not what he would consider working one’s heart out and consequently words were exchanged between himself and the owner.

People in the neighborhood of the property are sick of the mess and the mosquitoes it attracts, the mayor said. He shared his belief that the owner believes nothing will happen but “saber rattling” and that the city needs to take the next step and do something to tip the balance.

“She is not going to move off dead center unless we start the process,” he said, informing the council that the problem is likely to spread; a neighbor recently refused to do anything about the mess on his own property, said the mayor, because of the “slum” in the area that has been allowed to “ruin his property prices”.

The property owner feels she is in compliance, said Brooks, but the city does not agree. He suggested it might be time to “bite the bullet and at least start the clock ticking”.

The council approved his suggestion, passing a motion directing City Attorney Mark Hughes to send a follow-up letter that gives the property owner a deadline to clean up the land.

In the case of the storage container, Mayor Paul Brooks pointed out that the city does have the right to abate the problem, but will have to take responsibility for moving and storing the container. The container is now allegedly empty, according to Council Member Joe Wilson, but has not yet been removed from the property.

A motion was made to instruct Hughes to send a follow-up letter to the owner, giving them 30 days to move the container. If this does not happen, the city will move it and require that the owner pays associated costs.