Wheeling Island residents such as William Seabright and Floyd Yost work each year to keep empty lots in their neighborhood neat and tidy.
During the summer months, they cut grass and weeds on 15 different properties. Spread throughout a week, each lot takes about 30 minutes to clip, not including picking up sticks and other stuff that dull mower blades. They don't own the lots and they don't get paid to cut them. They do it because they like their neighborhood and want it to look its best.
''We do it for ourselves,'' Yost said.
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Photo by Shelley Hanson
Wheeling Island resident William Seabright measures the height of grass with a ruler on a vacant Virginia Street lot. Each year, the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department receives about 300 tall grass and weed complaints from city residents. Property owners are not supposed to allow their grass to grow taller than 10 inches.
Some of the lots are where the city of Wheeling razed dilapidated structures. Instead of leaving city workers with the burden of mowing them, the residents stepped up and volunteered to do the cutting. Most of the property owners pay a yearly grass-cutting fee to the Island Community Association, which covers the cost of buying fuel, oil and new parts for the riding mowers used by Yost and Seabright. The association owns the riding mowers, two of which were donated by the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack.
''We don't trim or anything - we're not going to spoil them,'' Seabright said of those who own the properties where he cuts the grass.
Seabright noted another resident, Dana Terry, prunes some empty lots on north end of the Island and a couple on the south side.
Some may have noticed other lots in the city where it appears grass hasn't been cut for days or weeks. About 300 complaints are lodged with the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department each year about tall grass and weeds across the city.
The health department does not search for such lots - it is up to residents to report such infractions of the law. And, ultimately, it is the city's responsibility to keep the lots cut if health officials cannot reach the property owner. Currently, there are 32 properties with no identifiable owner that the city must keep up, said Sanitarian Laughlin Johnson.
''The hazard of high grass is that it's a habitat for rodents. Mice and rats hide in high grass. It's also an insect breeding area. During dry conditions, high grass is a fire hazard,'' Johnson said.
Each complaint lodged is investigated by a sanitarian, beginning with an on-site inspection and photographs. Grass is not supposed to be taller than 10 inches. And depending on how difficult it is to find the owner via property tax-type records, an investigation can last days or weeks. Once the owner's address is found, two letters - certified and first class - are mailed. If no contact is made, eventually the property's address is forwarded to the city Public Works Department, which is tasked with keeping the property cut.
''The city limits is the only place it applies,'' Johnson said of the measure.
Those that receive the health department notice have five business days to correct the problem. And, Laughlin noted, most do. Those who refuse to comply must be served a notice to come to the Health and Building Code Construction Court or Circuit Court. Evidence must be presented by the health department, which typically includes photographs of the uncut lot.
Offenders can receive up to a $500 fine, 30 days in jail or both. Those who fail to appear in court can have a bench warrant issued for their arrest. However, Laughlin believes the warrant can only be served if the person already is being cited for another infraction.