Citations

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

I just went down to City Hall to try and get a cert of good standing for a contractor, and discovered $1050 in trash citations -- issued June 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, this is the first I've heard of any of them -- plus a $25 ticket for "overgrowth".

I gather the thing is to appeal trash cites in person? I'd pay one or two out of general civicness, but this seems extreme. I'm unhappy with this much escalation with no notification and no chance to remediate. Plus I think the whole thing is bogus -- I've been tagged before and we're careful about the trash.

On the plus side, the City Clerk employee was very helpful and saw to it that I got my certificate stamped anyway.

In other news, what's the deal with overgrowth? I don't have plants overhanging the sidewalk, or as far as I can tell doing anything else obnoxious. My tiny lawn is weedy, but is this a crime?

Comments

[davelew.livejournal.com]

Overgrowth is a new one for me, but it appears to be city ordinance 9-56:

http://library.municode.com/HTML/11580/level3/PII_C9_AIV.html#PII_C9_AIV_s9-56

"No person in control of any property abutting on a sidewalk shall allow to remain uncut any overgrowth of grass planted therein by the city nor suffer to remain any overgrowth of grass and weed growing in or around any such sidewalk.

Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section shall be fined in accordance with section 1-11."

Section 1-11 just sets all sorts of fines, including $25 for letting grass or weeds grow over the sidewalk.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Technically grass grows to the exact right height that it should be. It's not possible for it to overgrow. :-)

Also, it's time this unenvironmental law be removed. Plants make oxygen and clean the air of pollution, the more it grows, the more it can do that. Tall grass is good for everyone.

And, even better: a wild space with wild edibles...

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Well, if the grass could vote, then I guess we'd be all set, wouldn't we - they'd lobby their alder-person, and get the laws changed.