Residents urge stronger code enforcement over high grass, exterior trash and parking safety at council public comment

At the White Oak Borough Council meeting May 20, 2025, residents used the public comment period to press the borough for more active code enforcement and clearer communication about property‑maintenance expectations.

Roger Lash, a White Oak resident from 2602 Poinsettia Drive, told council he has observed multiple properties with overgrown grass, unregistered vehicles sitting in driveways, discarded appliances in yards and construction equipment left for weeks. "I wanted to address some of the issues about the ordinances in the borough about the grass cutting," Lash said. He also raised a safety concern: "When you're coming down Poinsettia, no one stops at that stop sign where it meets Fawcett. They just blow right through it," he told the council, adding that a school bus had run the intersection that day.

A council member responded that the zoning and land‑use committee, chaired by Councilwoman Amanda DePaulis, has applied for a mapping grant and is working on rewriting ordinances to make enforcement more effective. The council member advised residents to report specific safety hazards to Borough Manager Palio so staff could address acute problems while broader code updates proceed. The manager and staff also said they would have the code officer inspect problem properties reported by residents.

Lash asked whether the borough could distribute a brochure outlining common ordinances to new and existing residents; a council member said the idea would be taken under consideration. The council did not adopt new code language at the meeting, but planning and zoning staff said they are preparing ordinance amendments and related enforcement steps for future meetings.