Luzerne tightens loop on code violators
Luzerne Township is tightening up its code enforcement, giving residents who violate township codes one warning to comply with code standards or be cited weekly and eventually daily until they comply with the regulations. DJ Angelone, code-enforcement officer and emergency management director, is implementing new methods to cut down on code violations, particularly high grass.
“I receive complaints (about high grass) daily,” he said.
Angelone said four residents have been cited for high grass or excessive garbage this year. He said there are about 20 outstanding warrants that still need to be served, some stemming from last year. Angelone said he met with constable Mike Mucy to discuss the outstanding warrants that have not been served. He said property owners with outstanding warrants will be sought in the weeks to come.
This month, he said five certified letters were sent to Thompson 2, Hiller, Keeny Row and LaBelle and four property owners were cited for high grass.
“High grass is an ongoing problem,” Angelone said. “In some areas, it’s standing a couple of feet high.”
To address the issue, Angelone said the township is implementing a new filing system for future code violators. Under the new system, Angelone said property owners will receive one certified letter per year for violations.
If property owners fail to comply with that first letter, a citation will be filed at the district justice office every week without further notification. If no progress is made in a couple of weeks, the owner will be cited every day.
Angelone said he is not taking these matters lightly and that some property owners who have been cited have received warrants for their arrests. He said those property owners, many of whom own property in the township but reside out of state, have contacted the township and asked that they locate someone interested in cutting the grass at their property.
Angelone said he is currently working to contract a business to work with out-of-state property owners to keep their grass cut.
“Ninety percent of the time we meet or call property owners and they comply. But we have the habitual offenders. Most live out-of-state and don’t care about their property and that prompts the warrants – but, usually, a visit or a phone call will take care of it.”