As the spring and summer season draws nearer, the City of Galesburg is reminding residents of some of the yard maintenance regulations. Property owners in the city are reminded that municipal code requires you to keep their grass and weeds below 12 inches. City inspectors will respond to complaints about grass, weeds, and overgrowth violations usually within one business day. Complaints can be submitted anonymously online or by calling 345-36-52. According to a release by Housing Program Coordinator Judy Guenseth, grass and weed violations are the City’s most common nuisance violation. The code states property owners or occupants are obligated to maintain their property including the terrace by mowing grass, trimming weeds, volunteer trees, and generally not allowing vegetation to grow wild. Property owners and occupants are given one notice per growing season when a violation is verified. The notice gives five days for abating the nuisance. If the property is found to be non-compliant upon reinspection, the City is authorized to do the necessary maintenance work and send a bill to the property owner as well as an administrative fee. With ongoing violations, the city may correct the violation without any additional notices and billing the property owner for each subsequent violation.
