Friday, March 21, 2008

Abandoned Curbside Furnishings


Just how long should the City - and the neighbors - tolerate household furnishings that have been abandoned and left on the parkway in front of a house? What's a "parkway"? It's the grass between the street and the sidewalk.
Where is this sofa? 820 Clay Street.

The City ordinances are all in place. The City can do something about it. Of course, they have a "process." And that process takes too long.

When a tenant (or property owner) puts a piece of furniture on the curb or parkway, the City should give him 24 hours to remove it. Period! If he doesn't move it, cite him. And then go back the next day and cite him again. And the next day. And none of this nonsense of giving him Notice and allowing him ten days to move it.

Or the City could have it removed and charge the property owner. Send him a bill; ten days net. If he doesn't pay, file a lien. The City can collect all expenses, so it costs them nothing to collect the money. They can collect the fine, interest, collection costs, legal fees.

This old sofa has been there since about March 7. On March 14 I emailed Community Development. Perhaps they knew about it by then? Had someone else called? Had a City worker noticed it and forwarded information to Community Development? Had a police officer noticed it and informed Community Development?

When it was still there on March 18, I emailed them a photo. Today, March 21, it's still there and now buried in snow.

How long do we have to look at sofas and other junk on the curb?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

How long does Woodstock have to hear your mindless drivel because you have nothing to do all day? Maybe these people are putting it out on the curb so someone will come by and take it for free. Do you its dangerous to be driving around in a snow storm? What if someone couldn't see you because you are sitting in the middle of the road on the other side of a hill snapping a picture? You should be the one thats cited for being a menace in th streets. Hows the bitch mobile drive in the snow? So you don't look for these "code violations" you just notice them? Didn't you say that you are nosy? Regular people don't drive around town(s) and just happen to notice these things.

Unknown said...

gus is starting to run out of things to complain about. look at some of his other posts around july. does the loading zone by angelos complaint or jewel parking lot seem familiar. hes done a such a good job bitching so hes following up on his unresolved gripes.

yagottabekidding said...

Look the other way.