Watertown City Council Addresses Overgrown Grass, Weed Complaints and Neighborhood Code Enforcement

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - As the summer season brings taller grass and an influx of property maintenance complaints, City Manager Alan Stager and representatives from the police department discussed and highlighted the city’s abatement processes for dealing with overgrown weeds and junk, while also issuing a strong plea for community cooperation and neighborly goodwill.

The Seasonal Code Enforcement Surge: 

City Manager Alan Stager introduced Assistant Chief Remmers and Captain Beauchamp to discuss the city’s active code enforcement efforts.

“It’s the time of the year when weeds are growing tall, and properties are not being maintained,” Stager noted.

Captain Beauchamp confirmed the seasonal uptick in complaints, adding, “We have a decent amount of overgrown grass and weeds around town that we are actively working... We break it into different areas of town and address those concerns and be proactive”.

The Complaint Breakdown & Abatement Process 

It noted that the majority of code enforcement complaints involve a mix of overgrown grass, noxious weeds like thistles, and yards cluttered with junk or unlicensed, inoperable vehicles. When dealing with grass and weeds, the police department prefers a cooperative approach over issuing immediate citations.

“We make contact with the homeowner, see why it’s not being kept up,” Beauchamp explained. If mowing arrangements cannot be made or the homeowner fails to comply, the city escalates the issue by sending a certified letter. Once the letter is received, the resident has five days to bring the property into compliance with the local ordinance. If the property remains unkempt, the city will “go in and mow the property, and then they would be assessed the fees for that”.

Junk and vehicle complaints, however, follow a slightly stricter judicial path. While voluntary compliance is often achieved after the city’s initial contact, unresolved junk complaints result in citations that must go through the court system.

“If they’re found guilty of that, we will go ahead and clean the property up. But it very rarely comes to that,” Beauchamp stated.

The City’s Own Maintenance and Pollinator Plots 

City Manager Stager stated that private residents aren’t the only ones occasionally falling behind on yard work.

“I’ll also admit as a city, we haven’t done the best job in maintaining our properties,” Stager said, acknowledging areas of overgrown grass on municipal land.

He explained that city staff is currently evaluating local mowing programs to ensure resources are directed appropriately.

Additionally, the city is reviewing public feedback regarding natural “pollinator plots” that are intentionally left unmowed in various parks.

“We’re hearing very clearly that our citizens would like us to consider locating the pollinator plots in different areas,” Stager said, noting specific resident concerns that the plots are currently “a little too close to playgrounds and too close to the trail system”.

Stager affirmed the city is looking to adjust these plots to give citizens the mowed green space they desire.

The Plea to Be a “Good Neighbor” 

Beyond code enforcement, the overarching message from the meeting was for community etiquette and understanding. Stager asked the public to “be good neighbors” and to be mindful of storing yard items that could attract mosquitoes or become an eyesore for adjacent properties.

The conversation revealed that many calls to code enforcement are driven more by interpersonal conflicts than actual safety hazards. Many police complaints come from individuals with issues with their neighbors, often looking for something to complain about. It also highlighted that effective communication is a key part of being a good neighbor, which can help prevent minor disagreements from escalating to involve police or city officials.

City Manager Stager echoed this sentiment, urging residents to extend a helping hand rather than a pointing finger—especially when an elderly or physically incapable neighbor is struggling to keep up with summer maintenance.

“It doesn’t take that much longer to go mow the neighbor’s yard after you’re done mowing yours,” Stager said.

He shared a recent local success story where a neighbor stepped in to mow the yard of a resident who was out of town dealing with health issues, illustrating the community spirit that Watertown officials hope to foster.

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