Sunny weather spurs complaints about messy yards in Blaine

By Stefanie Donahue

The city of Blaine has launched a monthly cleanup program to encourage residents to mow their lawns, pick up trash and help keep the streets clean.

Sunny weather spurred a number of resident complaints about overgrown vegetation and discarded debris, according to a June 19 news release issued by the city. Currently, the city is working with 22 property owners to resolve vegetation and trash code violations.

In accordance with city code, scrub vegetation cannot exceed 18 inches in height and discarded debris is prohibited on private property or within public right-of-way.

“Keeping properties clear of overgrown vegetation and debris reduces the presence of pests like rodents, flies and mosquitos,” said community planner and code enforcement officer Maddie Ottley. “Property maintenance not only promotes the overall health of the community but also results in a higher quality of life for all residents and improves property values.”

The monthly program was organized by deputy city clerk Sam Crawford and is managed by the Blaine public works department. The team is calling on volunteers to help and has offered to provide cleanup tools and on-site assistance.

“Over the past couple of months, community members have generously volunteered their time by cleaning up the streets of Blaine,” Crawford said. “We want to keep this momentum going by recruiting more people into the volunteer program, which will result in a larger pool of volunteers we can tap into for future projects.”

To volunteer, email Crawford at scrawford@cityofblaine.com.