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Somerville resident presses council over neglected 205 Electric Street; borough issues 15‑day tree notice and reviews enforcement options
Summary
A longtime neighbor urged action over waist‑high grass, a dying tree and repeated fines at 205 Electric Street; borough staff said a certified 15‑day warning letter was sent for the hazardous tree and outlined possible remedies including removal and billing, liens, and magistrate enforcement for unpaid fines.
At the Somerville Borough work session on June 24, resident Franny Jones raised persistent quality‑of‑life concerns about a nearby absentee‑owner property at 205 Electric Street, describing waist‑high grass, a mostly dead tree that could fall onto the sidewalk and a history of repeated fines and police calls.
Jones, who said she has lived at 201 Electric Street since 1972, told council the property has been in poor condition for about two and a half years and that fines have been issued but the problem persisted. "We have a wonderful caring friendly neighborhood with one exception, absentee homeowners," she said, and described public‑safety concerns including rodents and overgrown vegetation.
Borough staff and the solicitor responded that they will review citations and payments, consider placing a lien if legally appropriate, and noted a certified 15‑day warning letter was drafted and served regarding the hazardous tree. As explained to Jones, the borough may remove the tree if the owner does not act within the compliance window and may bill the owner for removal plus statutory administrative fees (the letter cites a 10% additional charge under the tree ordinance).
Council and staff also described stepped enforcement procedures for repeat offenders: police can leave warnings during patrols, code enforcement will perform scheduled site checks (staff discussed a weekly visit cadence while the seven‑day compliance window is open), and unpaid fines can be forwarded to the magistrate. Staff acknowledged the process can be slow and requires photographic documentation to support enforcement actions in the event of legal challenge.
Jones asked whether stronger regulatory tools—such as registration requirements for out‑of‑town landlords—might be considered; council said staff will review existing citations and the current quality‑of‑life ordinance to determine whether further escalation or ordinance revisions are warranted. No new ordinance was enacted at the meeting.
The council asked residents to report repeat violations so code enforcement can document and pursue escalated remedies when necessary.
