The city of Parsons will streamline its nuisance abatement process if commissioners approve an ordinance Monday evening.
During a regular meeting, the commission will consider an ordinance that would amend the current nuisance code, simplifying the abatement process by changing notification rules.
The ordinance would make notice requirements consistent with state law while also allowing the city manager to hear appeals instead of the city commission. It also would modify the mowing fee the city charges. Under the current ordinance, when people have created a nuisance such as storing inoperable vehicles in their yards or leaving an abundance of trash or debris laying around, the city must send a certified letter or pay a personal visit each time. Oftentimes, certified letters are never claimed or are rejected, and the city has to wait until the postal service tries to deliver it a couple more times before moving on in the process. Under the new ordinance, the city could forgo a certified letter or personal visit if a letter was refused or undeliverable within the last two years. The new ordinance also would eliminate the need for a commission resolution to grant the authority to tow a vehicle.
Gartner said the city now must wait 30 to 60 days to tow inoperable vehicles, but under the new rules, the city could tow some after only 10 days. The new ordinance also should cut down on the time the city must wait before mowing tall grass and billing the property owner.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)