Knox City Council Members Discuss Tall Grass Ordinance

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members were presented with changes to the ordinance pertaining to the removal of weeds and other rank vegetation.

One change would amend the administrator of the notices to the Knox Board of Public Works instead of the clerk-treasurer’s office. Another change amends the way the notices are delivered. The notices don’t have to be sent by certified mail anymore which would cut down on expenses. The letter may be sent by first class mail to the owner or an officer with the police department can deliver it.

Mayor Chambers said the land owner only has to be notified of the offense one time.

“The first time serves as a continuous abatement notice. That means that a month later when that grass is tall again after they do cut it I don’t have to send them another notice. I just have to go on that property and post a notice and send somebody in to cut it,” said Chambers.

A penalty was also added in this amended ordinance.

“In the old ordinance it just included a generic penalty that follows state statute that’s $1,000. Nobody is going to pay $1,000 for that citation for tall grass. So we’ve included a penalty and we just put $25. I really think that penalty should be more.”
The council members will discuss the penalties at their next meeting.

Mayor Chambers added that often times it’s hard to find an owner of the property as the bank may own it. If the owner can’t be found within five days of the initial notice, a contractor will go in and mow the property. A lien would then be placed on the taxes of that property.

Grass or other rank vegetation can not exceed six inches in height.

A first reading on this ordinance was approved by the council members. They will discuss certain aspects of this ordinance, specifically the penalties and number of days to get it mowed after initially notified, when they meet on July 8.