TREASURE ISLAND — City officials are stepping up efforts to force homeowners with overgrown lawns to clean up their properties or face fines, abatement bills and potential liens.
The crackdown comes after last year’s hurricanes forced many residents to abandon their homes, leaving hundreds of overgrown yards that have attracted rats and snakes. Neighbors have pleaded with the city to address the health hazard.
Code Compliance Supervisor James Dickson told commissioners the city will prioritize voluntary compliance over punishment but warned that unresponsive property owners will face escalating consequences.
“We’re focused on a balanced strategy that emphasizes education and exhausting efforts to gain voluntary compliance over punitive measures,” Dickson said. “We’ve already begun outreach initiatives, like the beautification plan, to aid residents who don’t have the resources.”
The department — comprising Dickson and two inspectors — will investigate violations, issue notices, conduct hearings and coordinate abatements.
Under the new process, code officers will inspect reported violations within one to three days. A courtesy notice will be issued within one to 30 days of confirmation. If the violation persists, a formal notice follows in another one to 30 days, and a Code Enforcement Board hearing will be scheduled within 30 to 60 days.
While Dickson said residents will receive a courtesy notice when grass reaches six inches, the ordinance defines grass exceeding 10 inches as a public nuisance and threat to health and safety.
The ordinance also prohibits property owners from allowing stagnant water, building materials, trash, junk, disabled vehicle or boat parts, excessive weeds or other conditions that could breed mosquitoes or attract rodents.
Fourteen days after the courtesy notice, the city can mow the lawn itself and bill the property owner. Unpaid invoices can result in liens on the property within 10 days. The process can repeat every two to six weeks on unattended lawns.
The city currently has 401 open cases involving unattended lawns, 81 landscaping violations and 80 to 100 properties with multiple violations. Officials have closed 243 cases.
Mayor John Doctor asked whether the department has adequate staffing.
“I believe additional support would help,” Dickson said. “We’re pretty overworked right now with a lot of cases, especially with people coming in day in and day out. We want to provide plenty of resources and time and make sure they know we’re there to help resolve the issue.”
City Manager Charles Van Zant was more direct: “No sir, they are not adequate resources to tackle this.”
Van Zant said the city has drafted plans for an administrative position to oversee the program, which should eventually be funded through violation fees — though those funds won’t materialize immediately.
“Our goal is not to become the Treasure Island lawn service,” Van Zant said. “Our goal is we mitigate it with smiles on our faces and gain compliance. If we don’t, we’re going to cut your grass and abate pests, and then you’re going to get a bill for that.”
Commissioners approved hiring another code compliance officer to fully staff the department.
Commissioner Chris Clark said he dislikes increasing the city’s headcount or adding fees, “but at the same time I feel this is a health hazard. I mean, it’s really bad, and we’ve got to get it cleaned up.”
Property owners can appeal violations or abatement costs through the city’s Code Enforcement Board Special Magistrate.