Poland Township officials to target trashy properties

A zoning violation can bring
a fine of up to $500 per day,
officials said.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

POLAND — The township zoning office has a message for junk collectors and others who neglect their property: Clean it up.

“We want to put the public on notice that we are out there and we are enforcing the zoning codes,” said Robert Monus, township zoning inspector.

It’s something Monus and Patty Magazzine, assistant zoning inspector, see as important for the community as a whole.

“You set up the personality of your community through the zoning code,” he said.

While Monus said he’s found it difficult to focus as much time on enforcement as he’d like because of other responsibilities of his office, that changed last week.

He shifted more of the office duties to Magazzine and is spending all of his time on enforcement.

Monus and Magazzine say it isn’t their intention to be unreasonable. They’ll continue to work with property owners who make an effort to address problems, but they’ll take a hard line with those who don’t.

That means citations issued against those who don’t comply.

“It doesn’t cost a lot of money to have a tidy yard,” Monus said.

Common problems

One problem the zoning office gets a lot of complaints about is cars, both operable and inoperable, parked on lawns. Under the zoning code, they don’t belong there.

The office sends letters to offenders, informing them of the violation. Sometimes they move them, but then, six weeks later, that car is back on the front lawn.

“That’s not going to be tolerated,” Monus said. “If it continues, you’re going to be cited.”

A violation can bring a fine of up to $500 per day per violation.

“Blight doesn’t happen overnight, it happens one property at a time,” Monus said.

It’s similar with signs advertising political candidates, property for sale, auctions or garage sales. Don’t put them in the right-of-way or on telephone poles, Monus said. That too, violates the zoning code.

Like many other communities across the country, the township is dealing with properties that are going through foreclosure.

The problems with those properties can include anything from high grass to trash and debris the previous occupants left on the front yard.

After those properties are declared nuisances by township trustees, the zoning office sends a notice of violation to the owner or posts the violation at the property.

If nothing is done, which is usually the case in dealing with vacant properties, the township’s road department cleans up the yard and a lien for the cleanup cost gets attached to the property.

Call and ask

The more focused enforcement may mean overtime for the office, Monus said. Sometimes people or businesses begin erecting structures, like sheds and outbuildings, without the proper zoning permits after business hours.

If the infraction isn’t discovered until after the work begins, the office has to issue a stop-work order and the offender has to go through the process of requesting a variance, which requires a hearing by the board of zoning appeals.

Monus is hoping to find those problems before they rise to that point.

Some of the offenders may not realize they did anything wrong, that’s why Magazzine urges people to call the zoning office (330) 757-0733 and ask before starting any work.

The zoning office is alerted to some problems by complaints from residents who call anonymously, but often those callers leave out crucial information, like an address.

“If you call anonymously, leave complete information or leave a phone number so we can call you back and get the information,” Magazzine said.