If proposed changes to Crookston's grass ordinance are enacted, residents will have a shorter leash in which to deal with their yards. Two ordinance amendments were discussed and approved to move forward in the adoption process at Tuesday morning's Residential Improvement and Development Committee (RID).
The discussion came about, City Administrator Aaron Parrish said, in response to concerns raised by some citizens attending the recent community conversations. The current ordinance sets the grass length at eight inches to warrant a notice from the city to the owner. The owner is then given a short window in which to mow the grass, or the city will come in and mow it, assessing the owner the hourly rate, currently $85.
“Some residents thought eight inches was too long and suggested we cut it down to six,” he said, noting that this standard was previously on the books before being changed a few years ago. “In reality, we're not going out and measuring the grass in every yard with long grass. But there might an owner who takes out a ruler and saying it's shorter than eight inches. So this gives us and them more time before it gets really long.”
Fire Chief Richard Rock, whose department does the grass inspections, said it is better to set the bar lower so inspectors have more leeway in determining when the grass is too long.
The other ordinance change deals with the slackers who don't keep up their lawn like they should. As it is now, the city sends a notice to homeowners, including the landlords of rental properties, when the grass is determined to be too high, City Clerk-Treasurer Better Arvidson explained. Often times the grass is then promptly mowed, alleviating the problem, until the next time around.
“Basically, they're using the city as a reminder service to mow their lawn,” said Parrish. “We go through the expense of sending out the notice without any reimbursement. This is designed to be punitive, a progressive system for chronic repeat offenders.”
The proposed annual assessment structure is: first notice, no notification fee, but $25 mowing fee in addition to the hourly mowing rate if the city mows; second notice, $50 notification and mowing fees; third notice, $100 notification and mowing fees; and each subsequent notice, $200 notification and mowing fees.
“We have a hefty list of assessments that have built up on some properties, so you can see this is a problem,” said Arvidson. “We will work with owners if they call, and sometimes there is a very good reason things got out of control. It's the repeat offenders we need to crack down on.”
Rock said some owners seem to think they only need mow their front yards and not the back, as one recent case highlighted.
“The ordinance applies to your whole yard,” he stressed.
Although things move rather quickly in getting the grass mowed once the city is notified of a problem, Parrish cautioned that it still takes a little time, a week to 10 days or so, to go through the process.
“This can probably seem like forever for the neighbors, but it really is pretty quick,” he said. “You just have to be patient.”
A hearing on the proposed amendments to change the grass length from 6 to 8 inches and to set the punitive fee structure will be scheduled soon. If passed, they would likely go into effect next spring.
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If proposed changes to Crookston's grass ordinance are enacted, residents will have a shorter leash in which to deal with their yards. Two ordinance amendments were discussed and approved to move forward in the adoption process at Tuesday morning's Residential Improvement and Development Committee (RID).
The discussion came about, City Administrator Aaron Parrish said, in response to concerns raised by some citizens attending the recent community conversations. The current ordinance sets the grass length at eight inches to warrant a notice from the city to the owner. The owner is then given a short window in which to mow the grass, or the city will come in and mow it, assessing the owner the hourly rate, currently $85.
“Some residents thought eight inches was too long and suggested we cut it down to six,” he said, noting that this standard was previously on the books before being changed a few years ago. “In reality, we're not going out and measuring the grass in every yard with long grass. But there might an owner who takes out a ruler and saying it's shorter than eight inches. So this gives us and them more time before it gets really long.”
Fire Chief Richard Rock, whose department does the grass inspections, said it is better to set the bar lower so inspectors have more leeway in determining when the grass is too long.
The other ordinance change deals with the slackers who don't keep up their lawn like they should. As it is now, the city sends a notice to homeowners, including the landlords of rental properties, when the grass is determined to be too high, City Clerk-Treasurer Better Arvidson explained. Often times the grass is then promptly mowed, alleviating the problem, until the next time around.
“Basically, they're using the city as a reminder service to mow their lawn,” said Parrish. “We go through the expense of sending out the notice without any reimbursement. This is designed to be punitive, a progressive system for chronic repeat offenders.”
The proposed annual assessment structure is: first notice, no notification fee, but $25 mowing fee in addition to the hourly mowing rate if the city mows; second notice, $50 notification and mowing fees; third notice, $100 notification and mowing fees; and each subsequent notice, $200 notification and mowing fees.
“We have a hefty list of assessments that have built up on some properties, so you can see this is a problem,” said Arvidson. “We will work with owners if they call, and sometimes there is a very good reason things got out of control. It's the repeat offenders we need to crack down on.”
Rock said some owners seem to think they only need mow their front yards and not the back, as one recent case highlighted.
“The ordinance applies to your whole yard,” he stressed.
Although things move rather quickly in getting the grass mowed once the city is notified of a problem, Parrish cautioned that it still takes a little time, a week to 10 days or so, to go through the process.
“This can probably seem like forever for the neighbors, but it really is pretty quick,” he said. “You just have to be patient.”
A hearing on the proposed amendments to change the grass length from 6 to 8 inches and to set the punitive fee structure will be scheduled soon. If passed, they would likely go into effect next spring.
Building code
Another proposed ordinance change approved by the committee sets a 180-day time limit exterior structure work. This is in line with the state code, Parrish said, and would give the city more control over the building projects that affect others.
“We feel this would be an effective tool to move along some of these siding projects in town that go on for years,” he said. “It is generally to prevent multi-year projects.”
City Building Official Nathan Morlan said this applies to any permitted work on the outside of a building. It only applies to new permits, with projects that are currently in limbo or otherwise dragging on not grandfathered in.
As the ordinance stands now, people can extend the work indefinitely by getting new permits, said Morlan.
“People are always asking how long their permit is good for – it's basically forever,” he said. “Now I can say they have 180 days to complete the exterior work.”
He added that at times, it may be necessary to extend the deadline as situations come up, but he could work with the owners in those cases.
The proposed amendment will proceed for adoption and enactment before next year's building season begins.
Hazardous building
The RID committed recommended proceeding on a hazardous building declaration for a structure at 108 State St. Members were shown pictures inside and out that showed it to be in extremely dilapidated condition that could pose a hazard to people entering it.
“The family has been corresponding with me on this over the last few days, and wanted to get a permit to go in and start cleaning it, but I told them this is beyond that,” said Rock. “The foundation is crumbling. It's just not safe.”
Morlan will work with the city attorney's office to prepare for the hazardous declaration process, for which a city council hearing is needed.
