Idaho Falls Receives Hundreds Of Lawn Complaints
If you’ve noticed a lot of unkempt lawns around Idaho Falls recently, you’re not just imagining things.
The city of Idaho Falls Weed Control is swamped with complaints from angry neighbors and upset realtors who want the grass trimmed down in town.
It comes from a combination of reasons. The rain we received early on this summer coupled with a weak economy are the main factors behind the tall grass.
Mowing and weed eating is something you’ve probably seen a lot of this summer.
“Oh, it’s been really busy. We’ve been moving from spot to spot,” said David Tracy with Weed Control.
It’s something Weed Control would like to see more of, at least from people outside of its crew.
“I’ve been mowing probably 6 -10 lots a day,” said Matt Mitchell with Weed Control.
They already have 330 complaints filed in the city on property with untidy lawns and grass over 10 inches in height.
It’s posing a major fire risk.
“Now that it’s getting kind of hot and we’re not getting as much rain, the grass will start drying out is our number one concern,” said Josh Stephens with Weed Control.
That’s not the only reason for concern. Realtors fear it will drive property values down in an already struggling economy.
When a complaint comes into the city, whether over the phone or online, the Parks and Recreation Department sends out a letter to the owner of the property in question, giving them 15 days to get the grass mowed.
Most complaints in the city are on vacant lots where the grass and weeds are growing high. If an owner gets a complaint and doesn’t act within 15 days, city crews will come mow it for them.
It will cost you a pretty penny, anywhere from $75 to $150 to be exact.
If you don’t pay the fee, a lien will be placed on your property, until the balance is returned in full.
“It’s just hard to maintain our own 200 acres when we have so much else to do,” said Stephens.
The city of Ammon is a bit more lenient, allowing grass and weeds to grow up to 15 inches before citing the property owner.
If you would like to file a complaint, you can follow this link or call 612-8479.
