No owner of any premises shall permit the exterior property areas to deteriorate or debase the appearance of the neighborhood, reduce property values in the neighborhood, adversely alter the appearance and general character of the neighborhood, create a fire, safety or health hazard, or to allow, it to become a public nuisance. Such conditions include but are not limited to the following:
(A) Accumulation of litter;
(B) Broken or dilapidated fences, walls or other structures;
(C) Out of use or non-usable appliances or machinery;
(D) Rugs, rags or other materials hung on lines or in other places on the premises, which materials are not being used for general household or housekeeping purposes;
(E) Broken, dilapidated or unusable furniture, mattresses or other household furniture, broken glass, plastic material, paints, miscellaneous coverings and/or any other materials, including those described in this section, placed at or on the premises in such a manner as to be patently unsightly, grotesque or offensive to the senses;
(F) Lawns and landscaping shall be so maintained so as not to constitute a blighting or deteriorating effect on the neighborhood;
(G) (1) Cutting required. The owner of all premises, whether residential, non- residential, commercial or industrial, and whether occupied or vacant, shall cut down and remove therefrom all offensive and noxious weeds, vines, and grass of a height of 12 inches or more, and any and all weeds, vines and grass constituting a threat to the public health, safety, comfort or welfare. Weeds shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs.
(2) Violations. It is a violation of this section if weeds or grass of a height of 12 inches or more exist on any lot, parcel or premises within the corporation limits of the village. When such violation is observed, the Zoning Inspector shall provide notice to the owner in conformity with § 155.019 of this code.
(3) Enforcement. No owner shall fail to comply with the notice provided in division (G)(2) within five days of notice. If the owner fails to comply with the notice within five days of the date of the notice, the village may correct the violation in accordance with § 155.020 of this code.
(4) Exceptions.
(a) Agricultural exemption. If prior to the effective date of these regulations, high grass and weeds were being grown upon the premises of five acres or more for use agriculturally as hay, the owner of the premises may apply to the village for an exemption from these regulations. Upon verification that high grass and weeds were being grown upon the premises for use agriculturally as hay in the year prior to the effective date of these regulations, the village shall grant the exemption. If, in any year, the use of this exemption ceases, the exemption shall cease, unless the reason the exemption ceased was the use of the property for another pre-existing agricultural use. Any premises granted an agricultural exemption under this section shall still maintain a front yard setback of 15 feet from the curb or street edge in which the grass shall be kept at a height below 12 inches.
(b) Government-owned or protected land. These regulations shall not apply to land owned by the federal, state or municipal government, or to land that is protected under federal or state regulations, including, but not limited to, wetlands, nature parks, riparian zones, or land under conservation easements.
(H) No building material or materials, earth, sand or dirt intended for use in landscaping, gardening or construction shall be left standing open or covered upon any premises after the project is complete without specific written authorization from the Zoning Inspector or other designated official;
(I) Drainage swales are to be maintained by the owners of the parcels on which they are located, and at no time will anyone plant shrubs and/or trees, or discharge, empty, or place any material, fill or waste into any swale so as to divert or impede drainage flow. Small swales can be mowed as part of the yard. Larger swales in meadow situations should be mowed less frequently in order to allow grasses to grow taller to retard runoff and prevent erosion. Swales in woodland areas should be left in their natural condition leaving understory to retard runoff and prevent erosion.
(Ord. 2008-14, passed 7-14-2008; Am. Ord. 2017-4, passed 3-27-2017; Am. Ord. 2020-25, passed 10-20-2020) Penalty, see §
155.999