Ohio city wants to make tall grass punishable by jail

On the second offense! Story is from Canton.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Kevin!

Comments

[Mark D]

YES!!!

Note: I live next door to one family who has mowed their backyard once so far this year. And also next door to another who mows their front yard fine, but has yet to completely finish their back yard -- for the past two years they have always left a strip here or patch there unmowed. I have no idea why since it's always a different spot.

So I have no issues with this. Why the hell buy a damn house if you can't keep care of it?

Make it felony....put them on the sexual predator list. We will show them a "zero tolerance policy"

So I have no issues with this. Why the hell buy a damn house if you can't keep care of it?

um cause you want to and the hell with the lawn why don't you and your home owner association Nazis go f off!

[Marvin]

Like it or not, unless you're in some sort of neo-Nazi HOA contract, you can't MAKE someone take care of their house. Even then, I bet you could challenge in court.

[blarneology]

I hate it when people don't take care of their lawns or homes. It hurts the values of the homes around it. Usually there are ordinances protecting neighborhoods from slummy neighbors but I think jailtime is a bit over the line especially for the second offense.

[You're a Mean Drunk R2D2™]

I know I have no issues with mowing my lawn, at least the front lawn.

However due to the fact that with the warmer weather and the presence of hornets, which I am deathly allergic to, my window to mow the lawn is quite small. And I let my back yard grow longer so that it can go to seed and fill in whatever patches are there so I don't have to spend near as much time in the back yard with the death bees/wasps/hornets.

[kay]

Why doesn't the city just cut it and tack the amount to mow onto their tax bill. If they don't pay it, the city collects when the property is sold.

[Suzanne Karmin]

It must be nice to live in a town that has so little crime, they have to make tall grass a crime so they can give their police department something to do...

[True American]

The gov't should lock up God. He grows the grass... ridiculous. Mow it and send them the bill. They don't pay, put a lien on the house.

[in2ropin]

I have to say that it does look like sheet!

But what one does with ones own property is their business, unless it was made clear to them before they bought the property.

[True American]

My young son mowed for the first time this weekend. Many what a joy! He's HIRED! I waxed the truck and grinned the whole time!

[Tom K]

How about just putting everyone on the sexual predator list? Might as well save the time.

[The Yard Gnome]

By not mowing and treating for weeds and bugs, you affect MY property. I can kill mosquitoes and dandelions all year, but if you won't, then your bugs and weeds just blow into my yard. Thanks for that.

Is it that hard to mow? Is it so much to ask that you spray for mosquitoes in May, June, July and August? Why would you own a home but neglect the yard? Turn off the TV, get off your lazy @$$ and do something productive for a change. Your neighbors will despise you less!

[JewwellsP]

Gnome, a lot of people don't want chemical sprays applied to their yard.

[blarneology]

In2ropin, you are exactly right. I hate it when people don't take care of their yards but unless there is a law against it then there is nothing to do. I am not a fan of all the silly laws we have anymore but at the same time I do my best to respect them.

[in2ropin]

It really is a respect thing. Have some respect for your neighbors and at least keep it down to a minimum. Respect is one thing, law is another.

Gnome, I don't spray for Mosq. Didn't know I should. I always make sure I have no standing water anywhere, but I would be broke worse than I am, since I have a farm and the cost would be prohibitive.

You ought to see this awesome mower I have. I have 5 acres that I mow for lawn, and I tell you, if I had a neighbor that was too lazy to mow, I'd go mow it for them, since this awesome mower could do the job quickly.

I do spray a fogger when I have guest over for a bbq or something.

I'm driving a $500.00 truck and riding on a $8000.00 mower. Does that qualify me as (Redneck)? LOL

[blarneology]

In2ropin, yes that does qualify you and I would personally like to welcome you to redneckdome(just in case nobody had in the past).

I have a buddy who has a gravely zero turn mower he uses on about 3acres of his farm. I got shoot there a lot and my oldest son goes just so he can mow for the guy. I have to practically pull teeth to get him to mow here though, I just have a pesky tractor style mower.

[in2ropin]

That zero turn radius is awsome!!!!!

Of course not worth a hoot if it rains. Will tear your grass up !!!!

[blarneology]

What kind is yours? I assumed that was what you had by the price.

[in2ropin]

Cadet? I think, yellow? Huge frickin thing called the (Tank)

[Mark D]

"Why doesn't the city just cut it and tack the amount to mow onto their tax bill. If they don't pay it, the city collects when the property is sold.
--kay"

Because -- as the story notes -- it's costing this particular Ohio town $250,000 a year to mow the yards of a bunch of lazy a$$ jackasses who bought a house but, apparently, don't want to take any responsibility in maintaining it. In bigger cities it reaches the millions of dollars, all because some people are either too lazy or lack any respect for themselves or their neighbors.

It's not just a visual blight or property value issue, either -- rats, mice, feral cats and other vermin just love the tall grass, making it a health issue as well.

Listen -- I manage to mow my yard with six titanium screws holding my spine together. So unless someone is in a wheelchair or elderly, I see no excuse for it not to get done. (And in those cases, the city needs to have some leeway and maybe even provide the service.)

Also, I don't even care about the dandelions and other weeds -- just mow the f***ing thing on a regular basis. That's it. Just. Mow. It.

Again, if you can't maintain a yard, get an apartment.

If you have hornets in your yard, call Terminix or Orkin, or head Lowe's and get a can of spray.

And if you don't care about your yard, try having respect for those who do.

Is that too much to ask? Really?

[Tam]

Well, I live far out in the country and so this doesn't really apply to me...but of course, I'm going to throw my two cents in anyway.

I mow approx. 3.5 acres around our home. I keep our yard very neat, tidy and grass SHORT. I do this because it is my preference, not because someone told me I HAD to. I have a nice riding John Deere mower and enough gas money to keep my yard nice.

What about the elderly people, infirm people, those on very limited incomes who are struggling to pay their mortgage? What the hell has happened to helping your neighbors?

More laws suck.