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Why Overgrown Yards are a Problem
Overgrown yards are not only an eyesore but can be a community safety issue as well. Weeded yards or lots give an impression no one cares for the neighborhood. This can attract crime and vandalism, eroding community safety and value. Tall grass and weeds also harbor rodents and other vermin that are unsafe and unpleasant in residential communities. In some cases, one uncared for lot may lead to a cluster of neglected properties.
Violation Letter
To ensure community safety and maintain property values, the City Housing Inspectors identify properties with high grass and issue a violation letter. The letter provides the property owner seven days to mow the overgrowth and trim around all trees, fences, sidewalks, fire hydrants, telephone poles, flower beds and any other structures on the property to bring the property into compliance.
If the property owner fails to accomplish the required mowing/cutting within seven days of the first notice, Section 917.04 allows the City to mow/remove the excess vegetation at the property owner’s expense and bill for this work, plus charge a $75 re-inspection fee and any other associated costs incurred by the contractor performing the work on the City's behalf.
*IMPORTANT* Per City Code 917.04, the City will only send one letter/notification per a calendar year, not each time your property is overgrown or in violation, before taking action and bringing the property back into compliance, the cost for which the property owner will be held responsible for. In other words, a property is given one warning letter per a year of their non-compliance. Any violations after this point will be automatically billed to the property owner.
Billing & Fines
If the invoice for theses services are not paid within 30 days, the entire amount is certified to the Lake County Auditor for placement on the relative property tax duplicate, including a 3% processing fee assessed by the Lake County Auditor.
The bill to mow an averaged sized lot in Painesville City was approximately $98 per mow last year. As a result of residents failing to mow, the Housing Inspectors sent approximately 545 violation letters and mowed properties 395 times in 2020. Yikes!