WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The City of Warner Robins is making corrections in how they plan to make the city look beautiful.
In February, the city passed a new grass-cutting ordinance to help fight blight and help city employees. However, leaders say this led to many complaints, and have now repealed the ordinance.
The past ordinance set an expectation that property owners had to cut all the grass around their home including the city right of way.
Mayor LaRhonda Patrick says the ordinance left a lot of room for interpretation.
"A lot of areas that were cut previously have been left uncut," Patrick said.
She says the ordinance the city put in place at council on Monday, added clarity. Patrick says they define it as 'areas that are within a reasonable person's control'.
"It was already on our books previously, but we enhanced those and made it what was best for our community," Patrick said. "They may cut close to the mailbox and they won't go to the curb. We're informing people that, that is your responsibility to cut."
Patrick says there were a lot of complaints from folks that live on corner lots.
"People saying 'I never cut it before', 'I don't use this area. 'it's not within my control,' 'people in the public walk on this sidewalk,' 'this ditch is for stormwater it has nothing to do with me,'" Patrick lists.
These are some of the exceptions. They have also added some other things to the ordinance.
"We've added the word grass to areas that can receive a notice and citation," Patrick said.
It also gives property owners 10 days to correct the issue and adds a $150 administrative fee to those found in violation.
Patrick says if the city has to cut the yard, you will have to pay that bill. If you don't pay it by the end of the year, you will see it on your tax bill.
"This is another huge initiative and it takes an entire city to be committed to that," Councilman Charlie Bibb said during council. " I hope we start a big huge campaign, I hope we put signs all over the city holding each other accountable to that in our neighborhoods and our businesses."
Patrick says this will help with their overall blight initiative the city just welcomed a task force for.
"It's our starting point. If we don't get this ordinance right, then our blight initiative is pretty much dead," she said.
Patrick says an informational on the ordinance will be held in the next four to six weeks.