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Resident urges clearer notice on nuisance mowing; council votes to put notice policy on next agenda
Summary
A resident complained that a contractor mowed his yard without prior notice despite a nonnuisance native planting; council agreed to place a proposal to require door‑tag notices on the next agenda for consideration.
Dirk Turner, a resident at 315 Monona Street, used the public comment period to challenge how the city’s nuisance mowing contract is enforced after a contractor mowed or entered his yard on a weekend without prior notice.
Turner said he and his wife intentionally allow native plants to grow beneath large shade trees and that portions of the yard are not grass because of shade and allelopathic tree species. He said a contractor identified his yard as a violation and that he then reviewed Chapter 151 of the city code. “The main point I came here for is the fact that the citizens who are put on this list need to be provided a chance to take care of this themselves before they’re charged $50 fine plus $45 mowing cost,” Turner said.
City staff clarified that the municipal contract with the mowing contractor requires the contractor to mow properties on a provided list within 72 hours of receiving the list and that the ordinance contains an exception allowing immediate cutting where grass is over 12 inches tall. Staff noted that the contractor receives the list and is expected to complete the work within that 72‑hour window; the timing may include weekend work depending on when the list is issued.
Turner and several council members proposed a low‑burden courtesy notice—placing a tagged note on the door when a property is placed on the mowing list—to give residents an opportunity to remedy the condition before the contractor mows and associated charges are assessed. A council member framed the proposed action as a policy change rather than a code amendment and asked staff to bring a formal proposal back to the council.
On a motion to place a draft policy (door‑tag notice for properties placed on the mowing list) on the next council agenda, the council voted by roll call to add the item for formal consideration at a future meeting.
