Corbin Code Officer vows ‘no more warnings’ for homes with high grass

This home, on Fifth Street in Corbin, is one of many in the city in violation of the city’s property maintenance codes regarding high grass.

Corbin code enforcement officials are tightening the noose on homeowners who allow their lawns to grow too high.

Frank Burke, who serves as Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Corbin, said Tuesday that a new system is being put in place to deal with many of the recurring problem spots in the city — homes that perpetually have overgrown grass. Current property maintenance rules only allow property in the city to have grass 10 inches high or less.

Property owners that have gotten accustomed to warnings in the past won’t get them any longer.

“It used to be that we would send out warnings and red tag the houses, but we are starting to get away from that and instead just issuing citations right away,” Burke said. “People should know by now that they need to mow their grass and maintain their property.”

The citations could carry a $100 fine. For multiple offenses, the fines can reach $1,000. Those cited can appeal their case to the three-member Code Enforcement Board within seven days of being cited.

Burke said he’s becoming more militant in regards to out of control lawns because too many property owners have been gaming the system. He estimates that, last year, the city lost out on roughly $8,000 to $10,000 in fines and mowing fees because property was sold or changed hands before the city placed liens needed to collect.

“Last year, we didn’t file any liens. We were letting it stack up and it didn’t work,” Burke said. “Some of the houses we’ve been mowing will finally sell, and if we don’t have a lien on them we can’t get reimbursed the money.”

Burke said the city regularly mowed about 40 yards last year. It charges $100 per mowing. This year, the number was reduced to about 14 in the spring, but has ballooned to around 30 to 35 that the city has mowed or will be mowing.

“At first I thought it was going to be a good year, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Burke said. “That’s part of the reason I am stepping up enforcement on this.”

A single property owner, who has four different properties in town, owes roughly $24,000 to the city in fines and mowing charges. Burke said squatters have taken up residence in some of the man’s houses. It’s just this type of situation he’s hoping to avert with more aggressive enforcement.

“Hopefully, it will be a tighter system,” Burke said. “This way, the city will be able to more efficiently collect money and if homeowners actually get citations right away it will compel them to comply with the law.”