Committee clarifies vegetation enforcement process, plans refreshed new‑resident guide

Committee members discussed shrubbery and property‑maintenance enforcement and coordination with the Shade Tree Commission. Program manager Maggie Dos said the borough will give homeowners an initial hang‑tag notice and 21–30 days to remedy identified vegetation violations; follow‑up inspections will occur and a notice of violation (citation) will be issued if the property remains out of compliance, at which point the citation may be filed with the court.

Dos told the committee that the borough’s intent is to give homeowners an opportunity to address issues before public‑works crews intervene and that the borough lacks the manpower to perform routine trimming on private property. She said previous citation filings (filed Feb. 2) experienced delays in court processing because of county court staffing and procedural issues; staff will continue to follow up with the court to reduce those delays.

Separately, the committee discussed re‑establishing a new‑resident welcome packet. Staff reported a resident guide already exists online and they plan to update the webpage, then send a letter with a QR code linking to the guide; the online page will consolidate trash schedules, snow and vegetation responsibilities, permit information and other common items for new residents.

The committee did not take formal enforcement action in the meeting; staff summarized the intended notice timelines and outreach plans.