Drought not slowing grass enforcement

Despite this summer’s drought, West Carrollton code enforcement officers said they are keeping busy.

“The grass may not be growing, but the weeds still are,” said Carl Enterman, code enforcement officer. “We’re encouraging our residents to stay on top of mowing and weeding their lawns,” he said in a news release to 2 News.

According to city ordinance, grass and weeds cannot be more than 8 inches tall in the city. The city’s neighborhood inspector, Garley Parsons, gives advance notice of a violation to property owners who are not repeat offenders.

 

However, after the notification, the city is permitted by law to mow the grass and charge the cost back to the property owner. “We do our best to work with our residents and encourage them to communicate any special needs or circumstances, by calling us at (937) 859-5783,” Enterman said.

The inspectors also monitor branches on trees and shrubs which overhang onto a public street or sidewalk. “They need to be trimmed to avoid accidents and injuries,” he said. Trees and shrubs need to maintained 8 feet above any sidewalks, and 14 feet from the roads.

With the upcoming Mead C.U.S.A. tournament, thousands of visitors are expected to visit the city during Sept. 1-2. “We hope to encourage that sense of community pride, and keep our city looking its best,” Enterman said.