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Resident tells commission hundreds of lawnmowers, stacked debris at neighbor’s home are causing rodents and safety concerns
Summary
At the May 19 meeting, Bath Drive resident Danny Madison told the Worthington Hills commission that a neighbor at 4412 Bath has been hoarding debris and about 300 lawnmowers, creating rodent problems, potential fire and access hazards. City staff advised use of code enforcement, the health department, the fire marshal and 311; a private nuisance suit was discussed as an option.
Danny Madison, a Bath Drive resident, used the public-comment period at the May 19 Worthington Hills City Commission meeting to describe a multi-year problem at 4412 Bath he said began after the homeowner’s partner started stockpiling furniture and equipment.
"I now have over 300 old lawnmowers stacked in his backyard," Madison said, describing piles of lawnmowers, pallets, discarded appliances and other debris that he said have attracted rodents and blocked windows and access points. He said delivery traffic and cash payments suggested a business was being run from the house and that yard elevation changes were diverting stormwater toward his property.
Mayor Mary Stoneham and other commissioners acknowledged the complaint and outlined potential remedies. Stoneham told Madison a private nuisance lawsuit was an option: "you would have a private right of action against him to sue him for nuisance," and staff encouraged contacting county and state code-enforcement channels, the health department and the fire marshal for safety and environmental concerns.
Madison said he has filed multiple complaints with Metro/311 and the property valuation authority (PVA), and that city code enforcement had previously asked the homeowner to clean up the yard. Commissioners and staff advised documenting conditions with photographs and working with the health department and fire marshal if there are blocked exits or evidence of hazardous storage (gasoline/oil). The commission also suggested the resident provide images to staff and, if relevant, pursue legal remedies available to neighbors under nuisance law.
The commission did not take formal enforcement action during the meeting. Staff and the resident discussed next steps: submitting photos to the city (311), confirming property ownership through the clerk’s office or PVA, and asking health and fire authorities to inspect if there are public-safety or environmental hazards. The matter remains unresolved and may proceed through code-enforcement channels or private legal action.
