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Crawford County commissioners approve resolution to start cleanup timeline for nuisance property
Summary
The commission approved Resolution 2025-019 to begin enforcement and notification for a chronic nuisance property; county zoning staff explained notice, hearing rights, vehicle removal complexities and the 20-day countdown for owner response.
Crawford County commissioners approved Resolution 2025-019 on May 9 to initiate enforcement and set a timetable for cleanup of a long-standing nuisance property, Zoning Administrator May Smith said.
The resolution notifies property owners and starts a statutory timeline that allows owners to request a hearing before the commission; if they do not act within the prescribed days, county crews may enter the property to abate the nuisance.
Why it matters: This action implements local nuisance-enforcement procedures and follows changes tied to Senate Bill 384 that shift some hearing responsibilities to the commission’s public meetings.
May Smith told commissioners the county has documented repeated failures by the property owner to remedy trash and vehicle abandonment. She said the resolution begins the countdown that gives the owner a final chance to request a hearing and to clean the property before county cleanup begins. “This just begins the countdown so that they can request their hearing,” she said.
Smith noted trash cleanup follows a straightforward timetable, but vehicle removal raises additional legal and logistical questions; she said the county is still developing procedures for removing vehicles and therefore could not give a firm date for vehicle abatement.
Commissioners and staff clarified process points: notice may be hand-delivered or mailed; once signed by commissioners the resolution takes effect; and the hearing, if requested, will be held in the commission chamber rather than in municipal court for these cases, a change Smith tied to Senate Bill 384. “That hearing … will be held in this room in front of you guys. It will no longer be in front of my judge,” Smith said.
The commission signed copies of the resolution and directed county staff to proceed with notices and scheduling, including providing the owner the opportunity to request a hearing before the deadline elapsed.
