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Minnetonka may fine neglectful property owners
Unmowed lawns and other nuisance violations could bring steadily escalating fines if the city has to come and clean things up.
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Minnetonka residents who let their lawns go soon may face a steep fine if the city has to cut the grass repeatedly.
Losing patience with homeowners "turning the city into a lawn service," City Council members are considering a new ordinance that would put teeth into a city code against unkempt lawns and other nuisances.
A resident who creates a public nuisance is already required to reimburse the city for the cost of cleaning it up.
As an added deterrent for repeat offenders, city employees have proposed additional fines of $100 for the second offense, $300 for the third violation, $700 for the fourth, and $1,500 if the city cleans up the property five times in five years.
Council members flinched at the highest fines and decided to find out how much other communities charge for nuisance violations before taking a final vote. No date has been set for a decision.
Minnetonka receives more than 500 nuisance complaints a year. In 2007, 562 complaints came in to City Hall, about a third having to do with tall grass. About 25 percent dealt with vehicles and another 25 percent with garbage or recycling, said Community Development Director Ron Rankin.
Roughly a dozen homeowners are repeat violators who don't correct problems "so the council is faced with taking abatement action year in and year out," Rankin said. The fines would not be automatic, in case people have good reasons for falling behind in their lawn mowing, Rankin said.
Fines would not help the city keep foreclosed property up to snuff because the owners would be gone. But the city now receives a list of foreclosed properties from Hennepin County and uses that to make sure those homes do not fall into nuisance condition, Rankin said.
Laurie Blake • 612-673-1711
