By Lizzie Stone, city council reporter
If any trash — including disposable cups, containers, and wrappers — are visible in a yard, then the property owners will now have 24 hours to remove it after receiving a warning from the city. Council members approved the ordinance change in a 4-1 vote at their Tuesday meeting.
City ordinances prevent the accumulation of trash objects in yards in open view. When city residents call and report waste visible on properties, city staff visits the site and notifies the property owner to remove it. If it is not removed within the stated period, the city hires a contractor to remove it and invoices the property owner
The change to the ordinances will distinguish refuse and solid waste from other abandoned items, allowing city officials to treat trash differently than other items in the yard. Abandoned items, such as furniture items or boxes which are visible on properties, will still have a 10-day window for removal.
Council member Nasser Alsaadun voted against the change in ordinance. He said the current 10-day timeframe felt realistic.
“I think that we are sending a harsh message for JMU students,” Alsaadun said. “I don’t think they will feel like they are welcome here in our city.”
Other council members disagreed that the ordinance targeted students.
“It doesn’t matter who you are,” Mayor Deanna Reed said. “If you have trash in your yard, 24 hours is enough time to get the trash out of your yard.”
Tom Hartman, director of public works, said the law was not punitive. City staff would only visit properties after receiving a complaint, and were not driving around looking for violations.
Council members brought up concerns about property owners being out of town, and being invoiced for removal of trash left on their property by other people.
Hartman said the city would try to make direct contact with the property owners, and would “start the clock” once the notice was actually received. He also said the timeframe for reaching the site, serving the notice, hiring a contractor meant property owners would have around 48-72 hours total to remove the trash.
Council member Dany Fleming said students in violation of the ordinance because of trash after parties were previously given too much time. Within ten days, there was often another party.
“We can be too lenient,” Reed said. “I mean, this is trash. It can attract rodents.”
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