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Resident alerts College Place council to overgrown thistle, blackberry shrubs and fire hazard on Whitman Avenue properties
Summary
A resident told the council about tall thistle and blackberry encroachment behind Home Depot along Whitman Avenue between Myra and Larch; staff said the code officer is contacting property owners and the fire department will inspect for hazard and possible abatement.
A resident raised concerns during the May 27 meeting about overgrown thistle and blackberry shrubs on properties along Whitman Avenue between Myra and Larch behind the Home Depot, saying the vegetation has encroached onto a hillside and is spreading seed.
Mayor Norma L. Hernandez read the resident's comments into the record and said the resident described the plants as a fire hazard and said animals such as foxes and coyotes had been seen in the overgrown area. The mayor said the resident "would hope that the city would do something to ensure that those are cleared up because there's a lot of thistle, quite tall. And once the seeds get spread, they're gonna spread everywhere."
City staff told the council the city’s code officer, Ron Nordman, is communicating with two property owners about cleaning the area and that the fire department would inspect to determine whether the city could take abatement actions and bill the owners if the vegetation poses a danger. "If it is, they have a little bit more authority about getting it cleaned up. And possibly, if we have to, we clean it up and bill them for it, before it becomes a danger, especially as it's getting hotter," the mayor said.
No formal action was taken; staff reported they are handling the complaint through code enforcement and fire-safety inspection procedures.
