Municipal Services Committee Votes Unanimously To Uphold $160 Administrative Fee Assessed Against Property With Tall Weeds

The Municipal Services Committee met 08/26/2024. One of the action items they took up was a request by a property owner to waive the $160 administrative fee he was assessed for having tall grass.

The committee voted unanimously to deny the waiver request and maintain the fee assessment.

I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:

On 06/13/2024 the city inspected the Appleton Furniture Direct property on Superior Street and determined that the weeds and grass on that land were over 8 inches. The city mailed the property owner a letter assessing a $50 administrative fee and directing him to cut the grass by 06/23/2024 or face further charges. On 07/01/2024 the grass was still not cut. On 07/03/2024 the city received a warrant to enter the property and cut the grass. They posted the warrant on the property, and the owner cut the grass before the contractor arrived at the site to cut the grass.

Andy, the property owner, appeared before the committee and requested the fee be waived. He said that there were four neighboring properties that also had unacceptable weeds, but he was the only one who was assessed a fee. He also indicated that he did not receive a notice in the mail. He said that someone called the number on the door of the property, but nobody called him. The first he was notified about the issue was July 3, at which point he mowed the grass. Finally, he said that he guessed the complaint had not actually been for his property but had been directed toward the nearby railroad tracks that had very tall weeds on them.

Inspections Supervisor Kurt Craanen told the committee that the railroad property as well as another property to the north had both received notices. The property manager for the railroad told the city to cut the grass and send them the bill, which is what the city did.

The committee voted 5-0 to maintain the fee assessment and not waive it.

View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1226864&GUID=3DA77B94-225D-4252-A3A5-51C9F88D7130