South Bethany residents should clean up their acts -- or face fines up to $1,000.
The South Bethany Town Council has expanded its grass cutting ordinance to include other property maintenance issues such as grading, trash, junked cars, boats, trailers or appliances, and other items deemed a potential public health threat.
The ordinance specifies that grass on any lot, with or without a house on it, must be less than 10 inches high. The fines for violation of this part of the ordinance range from $50 for a first offense to $500 -- but fines for other offenses are now $100 to $1,000.
Grading of lots in a way that causes a neighbor's lot to flood is now a violation of town regulations, as is allowing plants to obstruct vision on corners or encroach on a neighboring property.
The new ordinance also addresses storage of trash and construction materials, as well as junked vehicles and pest infestation.
It also requires owners to keep the exterior of their homes in good repair. Some items prohibited under the new regulation include: cracked windows, ripped screens, decaying wood, broken doors, fences, or trimwork, chipped and peeling paint, mildew or rust.
The ordinance also sets up an appeal process for property owners who feel they have been wrongly cited. A hearing board, with three members appointed by the mayor, will hear any appeals.
Now that the ordinance is in place, Mayor Donald Beck said council member Gary Jayne, who sponsored it, will work with town manager Wayne Stacey and the code enforcement officer "to figure out an initial approach" to some properties that have been a problem for some time.
The council is set to vote next month on revisions of its bulkhead ordinance, to bring town regulations into line with state and county regulations.
Beck said the council also agreed to review the town budget on a quarterly basis, making any adjustments necessary based on actual revenues and expenses. Beck said that so far this year, the town is "in great shape' financially.
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