If a Vanderburgh county resident is letting their property become an eyesore by not cutting their grass or letting garbage pile up, there was no ordinance to compel a clean-up of the property — until now.
The first reading for a county property maintenance code was heard at the Tuesday meeting. The second reading will be later this month.
This would act like the Evansville City ordinance, where a code enforcer can inform the owner of the issues so they can take care of them — hopefully in a positive way.
Areas of enforcement include the structural interior, exterior, rubbish, plumbing and even occupancy limitations.
Commission President Justin Elpers said he and other commissioners field complaints from county residents concerning neighbors neglecting property.
“Whether it be tall grass, trash, just the building itself not taking care of it,” he said. “And they have been calling us and saying, ‘hey, what can the commissioners do?’ And they're worried about their property values and so on. So our hands were kind of strapped. We really couldn't do much.”
The commission is already hearing about property improvements to certain areas of the county because this ordnance is coming.
When adopted, they will have the ability to address property issues in the county and bill the property owner in an abatement process.
“So this will be much needed,” Commissioner Amy Canterbury said. “It's very much needed, and I know much more appreciated by neighbors who will fall into this category and coming up in the future.”
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