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Lake Benton schedules nuisance hearing for 210 W. Bluff after property upkeep concerns
Summary
The Lake Benton City Council voted to send the owner of 210 W. Bluff Street a Notice of Hearing for July 6, 2026 after inspecting property with unkempt lawn and trimmed but unpruned shrubs; the council outlined potential abatement and a $327 filing fee if the matter proceeds to court.
The Lake Benton City Council on June 15 approved sending the owner of 210 W. Bluff Street a Notice of Hearing to appear before the council on July 6, 2026 over ongoing property-maintenance concerns.
Administrator/Clerk Eileen Christensen told the council she had consulted legal counsel and provided additional photographs taken earlier in the day showing that the shrubs had been cut down but not pruned and the front lawn remained unkept. Counsel advised that if the property is not cleaned to the council’s satisfaction after the hearing, the council can issue a Notice of Council Order giving the owner 20 days to remedy the violations. If the owner fails to comply, the city may ask the city attorney to file for abatement with the court; the transcript records a filing fee of $327 plus the cost of city or outside cleanup, which would be assessed to the property owner’s taxes or collected through wage garnishment.
Councilor Scott Christensen moved to send the Notice of Hearing; Trustee Karen Lichtsinn seconded the motion, which carried. No vote tally by name was recorded in the minutes.
The council did not take further enforcement action at the June 15 meeting; the next step is the July 6 hearing where the owner may present facts or a cleanup plan. The ordinance under which the procedure would proceed was referenced during the discussion but not specified by number in the minutes.
