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PHOTOS COURTESY CITY OF ORANGE CITY
Small patches, big pains — This photo shows a beautifully manicured lawns with a raggedy rights of way. Orange City officials hope by passing an ordinance requiring homeowners to mow the small patches of grass between the sidewalk and the street, it will create a more united, property-proud neighborhood, prevent blight, and save money.
Mow the city's grass — or else!
By Jen Horton
posted Jun 28, 2009 - 7:02:46pm
If you don't mow the right of way, you could lose your home.
Well, ultimately.
At its June 23 meeting, the Orange City Council passed, on first reading, an ordinance that will require homeowners to maintain the city-owned portions of property that abut their yards.
If the homeowner doesn't do the work, the city can, and then will charge the property owner.
If the fine isn't paid in 30 days, a lien can be placed on the property.
Public Works Director Paul Johnson told the City Council 98 percent of Orange City residents and business owners are proud of their property, and mow the little bits of grass between the sidewalk and the street.
For most residents and business owners, this is not, and will never be, an issue.
But, the small percent of folks who don't do this cost the city dearly in time — which is money.
"They look terrible. It disrupts our right-of-way maintenance crew," Johnson said. "I'll get an e-mail ... and I have to disrupt the crew and send them to mow 100 feet of 3-foot-wide grass."
Johnson said he really didn't anticipate any problems or ugliness. He said this will allow his staff to ask property owners, "Hey, can you take care of this?"
Orange City crews devote one day of work in five on the raggedy-right-of-way problem.
"We probably spend 20 percent of our time mowing vacant lots and in front of homes," Johnson said.
Johnson showed examples of homes with beautifully maintained yards, and scraggly, overgrown rights of way.
Council Member Tom Abraham wasn't happy about creating an ordinance for just 2 percent of the population. Abraham also said the new law is not fair to older homeowners.
"Don't you think this kind of ordinance might be a burden on senior citizens?" Abraham asked.
Johnson said yes, but not what he would consider a significant burden.
"When you're taking care of 10,000 square feet of lawn, asking for another 200 feet is a very small burden," Johnson said.
Interim City Manager Chester Murray pointed out the inequities these 2 percent of folks are creating. The city is paying people to mow the rights of way in front of these homes, but everyone else is mowing their own, out of pride, at their own cost.
"Why is it right for the city to do one and not all the others?" Murray asked. "Either maintain your own, or we'll do it. If we're going to do it, you're going to have to pay for it."
Vice Mayor Jeff Allebach said he didn't have a problem with the ordinance. Allebach noted the right of way is land the city can use to put in a power line or widen a road, but he said that doesn't mean the adjoining property owners should expect the city to come out and mow 3 feet of their yards.
"Your yard is your yard," Allebach said.
Council Member Paul Rasch said he couldn't believe the council was having to take time to deal with this.
The ordinance will also prohibit storage of items, such as piles of mulch, on the city's right of way, as well as prohibit planting or removal of trees or shrubs without permission.
The ordinance passed 5-2, with Mayor Harley Strickland and Abraham dissenting. The ordinance will have to go before the council for a second reading before becoming law.
To read the ordinance or listen to audio of the meeting, visit www.ci.orange-city.fl.us.
Reader Comments
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If most residents jump off a cliff will they regulate me to also jump?
Instead of criticizing others and looking like a fool why don't you use common sense ?
If It was the responsibility of citizens to mow city property , why would the Council need to pass an ordinance forcing citizens to take care of government property ? Duh !
You sound like the new bozo on the Council.
You are 100 percent wrong.
It is the city's responsibility.
They don't even take care of the sidewalks.
Are we to do that also ?
It is THEIR responsibility to maintain the right of way.
A lot of people were angry about the sidewalks being installed and that's why they don't maintain the right of way.
Orange City does a poor job of enforcing current ordinances.
I expect a lot of complainers at the next Council Meeting.
I may have enough pride to mow the right-of-way in front of my house...but I also have enough sense to not own property I can't maintain myself.
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