At the Fulton City Council work session preceding the regular meeting Tuesday, the council discussed potential revisions to its current grass, weed and debris nuisance enforcement policy.
Under the current policy, grass that goes so long above the eight-inch maximum length requirement is mowed by the city, with abatement costs being assessed to the property owner. If those costs and fees are not paid within 45 days, the bill is assessed as a tax lien.
Council officials say this system is difficult to enforce, interferes with lawn maintenance companies' business and too often results in the city never seeing any payment for mowing. The new policy would replace the lien system, giving homeowners 10 days to mow their lawn or face a costly $500 ticket.
City administrator Bill Johnson said that the proposed fine is meant to keep lawns looking better in the first place.
"We want the yard cleaned up, but we also want the fines to be a deterrent to violators," said Johnson. The fine is ugly enough to make people mad, but my answer to that is it will make a lot of neighbors happy."