County targets junk cars, unkempt lots

County targets junk cars, unkempt lots

Quorum Court justices mulling cleanup efforts, tougher penalties

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Crittenden County is considering toughening up its junk car and overgrown lot policy following a complaint by a resident in Highland Park.

David Deese asked the Quorum Court to take action against a property at 29 East Monroe that has several junk cars on the property.

“It’s been over a year and it’s still there,” Deese said.

County Judge Woody Wheeless said the county has been out to the property several times and made the property owner aware that the cars need to be removed.

“We’ve been there three or four times since last month,” Wheeless said. “So we are aware of that. We have spoken to him several times in the last month.”

Justice Lisa O’Neal, chairs the county’s clean-up committee, said the committee plans to meet and discuss stiffening the penalties for violations.

“We need to change the time frame, because the way the ordinance reads now, it could take a long time to address,” O’Neal said. “So we would like to tweak the ordinance so we can address stuff like this.”

Currently, the county has to give property owners 30 to 45 days to respond to any complaint.

Deese also asked the Quorum Court whether they had billed a property owner who lives in California for mowing her overgrown lot.”

“Have you ever sent her a bill?” Deese asked.

“No, we haven’t,” Wheeless said. “If she started getting some bills, she may clean it up,” Deese added. repair garages; or junkyards; automobile painting or body rebuilding shops; auto wrecker services; boats/marine rental, and, other like facilities in the city.”

The full city council heard the ordinance read for the first time at its Sept. 6 meeting and was read again on Sept. 20. It will be heard for a third and final time at the first council meeting in October before any final discussion and a vote. The process allows for feedback to city council and the mayor from the public about the proposed yearlong moratorium to be heard.

Planning and Development

Director Paul Luker recapped the planning meeting. The planning commission found the proposed

ordinance too much to digest.

”They had many concerns about it being too broad,” said Luker.

The planning commission countered the proposal with its own evaluation and issued a recommendation of its own providing a way through for any more new used car businesses wanting to start business in the city.

“The planning commission recommended allowing used automobile related businesses as special permitted uses only in the C-2, Open Display Commercial District,” reported Luker.

“They wanted to work on a fix rather than move toward a moratorium.”

By Mark Randall