6 inches or less!

Though the recent heat wave has slowed growth in local yards, the Hartley City Council is still hoping to clamp down on residents who don't mow.

Council members on Monday approved changes to the city's grass ordinance. Now, people who fail to keep the length of their grass at 6 inches or less will receive only one warning per calendar year instead of receiving official notice each time their yard is breaking the rules.

A certified letter will be mailed the first time a property owner offends, with a placard being placed on their yard each subsequent time it needs to be mowed. The fee for the city to abate the nuisance was unchanged at $100.

The tweaks are hoped to reduce the time it takes to get yards mowed. Sending certified letters each time created a lag, according to discussion.

Council Member Mary Westphalen was concerned about how the process of addressing an offending property is started. City Administrator Erica Haack said formal complaints can be filed by a city worker, police officer or neighbor.

Police Chief Joe Hengeveld said the department tries to address problematic properties when they see them. Twenty-one warnings were issued last month.

"We don't wait for a complaint before we knock on doors," Hengeveld said. "If people answer the door, we tell them to mow. Usually that takes care of the problem."

Still, some yards remain shaggy.

"The problem is people that don't really care," Hengeveld explained. "They ignore us. We knock on the door a dozen times and they just ignore us."

Residents who don't adhere to the ordinance get their yards mowed by the city three days after an abatement request is made. If their bill isn't paid within 30 days, the city can assess the $100 fee to their property taxes.

Consensus was to keep the penalty as is and only increase the rate if violations become rampant.

"A hundred bucks is quite a bit of money to the people that aren't mowing, most likely," said Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz.