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Residents urge county action on Gardens North safety, water and property maintenance problems
Summary
Residents and a board member described ongoing crime, abandoned and burned-out homes, water-system fragility and HOA-management failures in the Gardens North subdivision north of Riverton. Commissioners agreed to pursue discussions with sheriff's office, city staff and planning/legal staff to explore enforcement and remediation options.
Jerry Ali, a Gardens North resident and member of that subdivision’s homeowners association board, told the Fremont County Commission that the neighborhood has experienced repeated violent incidents, shootings, two deaths in rear yards, frequent law-enforcement calls and an accumulation of burned-out and vacant structures.
Ali described widespread property neglect, broken windows, unsecured structures and trailers lacking plumbing or sewer in some cases. He said many lots are owned by absentee owners and that roughly 45 of 95 lots do not pay garbage or water fees, hampering the HOA’s ability to enforce bylaws. He said a burned-out home had stood for nine years and that the subdivision’s water system had required a $23,000 pump replacement in the recent past.
Residents and commissioners discussed enforcement pathways. Commissioners suggested coordinating with the sheriff’s office and the city of Riverton, the county fire marshal, the planning department and county legal counsel; the sheriff was noted as having statutory authority to “indemn” (remove) hazardous properties in some circumstances. Commissioners said they would gather contact information, have the district liaison and sheriff follow up and explore options such as condemnation, public-health or fire-code enforcement, HOA governance remedies and potential transfer of water service to the city.
No formal action or resolution was taken at the meeting; commissioners asked staff and the sheriff’s liaison to pursue meetings and report back.
