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Owner disputes city's nuisance claim at 405 Woodvale Lane; council gives two weeks to comply
Summary
At a public nuisance hearing for 405 Woodvale Lane, homeowner Eric Butler disputed inspection claims and described property damage and a car crushed by a dead tree; staff said notices were posted and the council carried the item two weeks, directing that if the property is not cleaned the city will act and bill the owner with a 50% penalty and possible lien.
Homeowner Eric Butler appeared at the council's public hearing on a nuisance complaint for 405 Woodvale Lane and told the council he was surprised to see the item on the agenda. "I live at 405 Woodvale Lane. My name is Eric Butler," he said, then described a history of maintenance disputes, a neighbor's dead pine that fell and crushed a vehicle, and challenges supplying photographic evidence after the tree was removed.
Building-inspection staff summarized prior complaints, certified-mail attempts and photographs showing backyard overgrowth. Staff said the city's ordinance requires property maintenance across front, back and side yards and described enforcement options: the city can contract or send city crews to clean and bill the owner; a 50% penalty is added to the bill and, if unpaid after 30 days, a lien can be placed. Staff offered to work with the owner on a timetable but noted the volume of work. "If y'all decide that y'all declared a public nuisance tonight, then I can send Cruz over there tomorrow and clean it up," staff said.
Council members repeatedly asked whether the owner could complete the cleanup and how soon the city could act if the work was not done. After discussion the council moved to carry the item two weeks to the Aug. 10 meeting with an understanding that if the property remained out of compliance the council would vote to declare it a public nuisance and staff would begin cleanup the next day. The motion to carry the item passed; the council instructed staff to return on Aug. 10 with the item for formal action if necessary.
The hearing included extended exchanges about whether the city's prior removal of a fallen city tree addressed the full claim of damages (including a $16,800 car settlement Butler said he paid) and which parts of the property's condition were civil disputes between neighbors versus code-enforcement responsibilities. The council did not declare the property a nuisance tonight and instead set an Aug. 10 follow-up.
