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City to mow overgrown yards at owners' expense

A home at 207 Ewbank Road, now owned by Bank of America, is one of many in Hendersoville with neglected yards.

The city of Hendersonville is set to crack down on homes and property with tall grass and weeds.

In a news release about the problem, the city waxed poetic.
"Spring and summer usher in the return of many welcome trends: a boost in tourism, beautiful landscapes and gorgeous weather for all of us to enjoy," it said. "Unfortunately, these welcome changes are sometimes accompanied by a less pleasant change of scenery: the cropping up of tall grass and weed complaints in the city of Hendersonville."
So far this year the city has issued an unusually high number of warnings about high grass and weeds, the news release said, more than 150 since March.
A contributor to the rise in yard neglect is the proliferation of foreclosures that have occurred around the city in the last two years. The city has trouble reaching a responsible party at banks or other owners of foreclosed properties who can order the grass mowed.
City officials have asked the City Council to authorize action against 17 properties where the grass and weeds are too high and assess the property owner the cost. The property owner and address are:
Milton Wescott Robbins – N. Oak Street (vacant lot) – high grass and weeds Annie Breedlove – 7th Avenue West (vacant lot) – high grass and weeds
TD Bank NA – 1521 Haywood Road.
Linda Medford – 125 Ashwood Road.
Bank of America – 207 Ewbank Drive.
Deutsche Bank National Trust – 2102 Kingsbury Road.
Gregory John Edwards – 214 Dana Road.
TD Bank NA – S Grove Street (vacant lot).
Bank of America – 1004 Greenville Highway.
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. Stanley Cantrell & Wife – 533 Dairy Street.
. Eastside Associates LLC – 1828 N. Main Street.
. Jeffrey E. Thompson – Pace Street (vacant lot)
. The Hodges Company – 1000 7th Avenue East (vacant lot).

W. Taft Wirthlin – 109 Pine Street.
TD Bank NA – 222 3rd Avenue West.
Wells Fargo – 314 Blythe Street – high grass and weeds
City ordinance authorizes the city to take action in response to tall grass and weeds higher than two feet.
"Most violations are found and acted on as a result of complaints from neighboring property owners," the city said. "Nuisance properties can have a significant impact on property values in a neighborhood, and can be a headache for neighbors who invest the time and energy to keep their property in good condition."
When a violation occurs, the property owner is given a notice fix the problem within 15 days of receipt of the notice. If the responsible party fails to remedy the condition constituting a nuisance within the time permitted, the City Council will authorize City staff to fix the problem at the property owner's expense.
The vast majority of violations are resolved without the issuance of a fine or further city enforcement. Most property owners fix the problem after receiving a notice of violation from the City. City code enforcement officials work constructively with property owners to help them resolve any property nuisance issues.
For more information about the nuisance ordinance, or to file a complaint about a nuisance within the city, please contact the city Zoning Department at (828) 697-3010.