Don't Like Mowing Your Lawn? Neighbors Can Stick You With a $170 Bill

Marion residents who don't mow their grass could get a visit from a city lawn crew and stuck with a hefty bill.

If your lawn or weeds are longer than 8 inches and are going to seed, the city has the right to mow it and send you the bill. That tab can range from $100 to $400 with $170 as an average fee, said Mike Carolan, director of parks and recreation, which oversees the program.

It may sound like a lot, but the advice is simple.

"Mow your yard. Be responsible and mow your grass," Carolan said. "I know it sounds simple, but sometimes simple is all it takes." 

The city doesn't go looking for violations. It operates on a complaint-based system where if someone - typically a neighbor - notifies the city, a city staffer checks it out. If the lawn is in violation of the tall grass and weeds ordinance, the resident will receive a warning letter with a five-day grace period to comply.

Last year, the city received 51 complaints and had to mow eight lawns, said Darcie Coberly, administrative assistant. The drought kept the grass at bay, so the numbers were fairly low. 

This year, with the rainy spring, the city just mailed out the first wave with 50 warning letters going out last week, she said. Residents will have until today to comply.  If they don't, a city team comes by and does it for them.

The bill breakdown is a $25 administrative fee, $35 per person per hour and $75 equipment fee. 

"$170 is pretty standard," Carolan said. "It depends on how much clean up we have. There could be a landtill fee on top of it."

Carolan said about half of the complaints are for bank-owned properties, while the others are residents who aren't keeping up.  But, there's also some over-zealous neighbors.

Carolan said dandelions, for example, are not a noxious weed and aren't covered by the ordinance.

"They think weeds will travel into their yards or seeds will travel over, and they know they have to comply so why shouldn't everyone else," Carolan said.