Portsmouth property owners could face a $200 first-hour cleanup charge, $100 for each additional hour, a $500 fee for repeat mowing, and a $75 hauling fee if the city has to step in and cut tall grass or clear overgrown weeds, vines, brush, or shrubbery.
Portsmouth City Council will take a first look Monday at a proposed ordinance aimed at getting nuisance properties cleaned up faster.
This will be the first reading of the ordinance. City ordinances normally require three readings before council votes on final passage.
Why the City Wants the Change
According to the proposed ordinance, the current rules are being interpreted to mean that city officials must send letters to property owners before the city can cut grass and bill them.
City officials say that process takes too long and allows overgrown properties to sit while complaints pile up.
The proposed change would create a broader annual warning. Instead of sending a separate letter every time, the city would publish notice on its website and include a warning in city utility bills in February each year.
That notice would tell property owners that if they let grass, weeds, vines, brush, shrubbery, or tree limbs become a nuisance, the city may take action and charge them.
How Much Could It Cost?
If the city has to clean up a property, the proposed fees are:
- $200 for the first hour of labor
- $100 for each additional hour
- $500 for later mowing if the city has to return and cut the lawn again
- $75 if debris or materials have to be hauled away
Those charges could also become a lien on the property and be certified to the Scioto County Auditor. That means the amount could be collected like other taxes or property liens.
What Property Owners Would Have to Do
The ordinance says property owners, occupants, tenants, lessees, or agents cannot allow noxious or unsightly weeds or grass to grow higher than six inches.
It also applies to vines, brush, shrubbery, and tree limbs that grow into easements or rights-of-way and create a nuisance or a health or safety concern.
The rules would also prohibit blowing or discharging grass clippings and debris onto city streets and alleys while mowing.
The property covered would include not only the yard itself, but also the area between the sidewalk and the street, as well as areas along alleys.
One Warning Per Year
One of the biggest changes is the notice process.
The proposal says one notice per calendar year would be enough for a lot or parcel. After that notice is posted on the city website and included in utility billing, the city could act on later violations without sending another individual notice.
In everyday language, that means property owners would be expected to know the rules once the yearly notice goes out.
If the grass grows too high or brush becomes a problem later in the year, the city could move faster to cite, cut, clean up, bill, or place a lien without waiting through another round of letters.
What This Means for Residents
For residents who complain about overgrown properties, the city says the change is intended to get quicker results.
For property owners, the message is simple: keep grass under six inches, do not let brush or tree limbs block rights-of-way, and do not blow grass clippings into streets or alleys.
The ordinance has not passed yet. Monday’s meeting is only the first reading.