Balancing individual freedoms with living peaceably in communities together is an ongoing challenge. As much as all of us would like to be able to do whatever we please on our own property, rules must be in place to keep our personal preferences from affecting those of our neighbors.
To that end, each town and city has ordinances in place to regulate the use of our property, from restrictions on when we can make loud noises to prohibitions on what we can store. Most of these ordinances should be unnecessary, governed by common sense and respect for your neighbors, but unfortunately, there are always some people who don’t respect our social contracts and need to be kept in line by laws and rules.
Neighbors tired of dealing with infractions next door are often wary of reaching out to each other to address problems, for fear of repercussions, and in some cases, can’t even find the owner of the property. That’s where the codes enforcement office, and sometimes police, can step in.
In Sanford, at least one property owner has defied orders by the city to remove debris from his property ”“ for nearly a year now ”“ and the council has voted to pursue court action against him. The lot at 17 Reed St. has several rubbish piles on it, which neighbors complain are resulting in a devaluation of their own properties.
In response to multiple complaints, the owner was reportedly asked three times to remove the rubbish, as it violates not only the city code but also state rules for junkyards. The latest notice, sent May 22, noted that the trash pile had actually grown, rather than diminished, and the owner was notified that fines can be between $100 and $2,500 per day for the violation.
With still no response, we agree with the city council’s decision to pursue court action, as it seems to be the only recourse left to get this property cleaned up. If the owner still continues to avoid taking responsibility, the city will clean up the lot, and while that will cost the city in the short term, a lien can be placed on the property to ensure that the money is paid back upon the lot’s eventual sale. In the meantime, the city should impose the fines as prescribed by the ordinance and begin holding the owner accountable; it’s been long enough.
Apparently, the Reed Street lot is not the only property in Sanford with unacceptable rubbish piles, as some councilors and even Mayor Tom Cote have cited this as a significant problem throughout the city. It’s clear the codes enforcement office needs to start taking a stronger stand against those who are disrespecting not only their neighbors but the city as a whole by failing to maintain their property. It’s time to stop threatening fines and start issuing them, since money is often the only thing that motivates people who are otherwise disinclined to follow the rules.
The City of Sanford is turning a new leaf with its focus on revitalizing the downtown and the mills, embracing the arts community and building its business infrastructure. Now is the time to make it clear to residents: It’s time to clean up your act ”“ the easy way or the hard way.
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