Each spring and summer, the Prattville Planning Department receives numerous complaints about weeded or overgrown commercial and residential lots. Many of these complaints are addressed by a simple visit or phone calls from the city’s code enforcement inspector, but most require additional enforcement action.

Following a procedure established by Section 11-67-62 of the Code of Alabama, 1975, the Prattville City Council is able to declare weeded lots a public nuisance, mow the property, and file a lien to recover the cost associated with correcting the nuisance. From May to October of each year, the Planning Department submits a list of nuisance properties for consideration on each Prattville City Council agenda. If declared a nuisance by the Council, notice of public hearing is sent to the owner of the property and published in the Prattville Progress. About a month following the initial finding, a public hearing is held by the Council. If the property has not been mowed by that time, the Council releases city staff to have the property cut. Once the nuisance is corrected, the Council adopts a resolution adding a lien to the property’s tax bill.

Based on trends from the past two years, Planning Director Joel Duke expects the summer of 2011 will bring an increase in both the cost of weeded lot abatement and the number of complaints. While the foreclosure rate and the accompanying vacancies are not as high in the River Region as other southeastern metropolitan areas, Mr. Duke stated that the number of Prattville properties sitting vacant as a result of foreclosure has increased noticeably since 2008. Planning and Development has also seen a steady rise in the cost of certified letters and legal advertisements required for weeded lot abatement. Legal ads in the local newspaper costs from $500 to $1000 for each weeded lot list adopted by the City Council and each certified letter sent to the property owner requires postage of $5.58. While advertising cost have increased, the Planning Department has not seen an increase in the fees charged by lawn care contractors. The cost of mowing each residential lot has remained consistent at approximately $45 to $70. While weeded lot abatement costs may continue to increase, Duke believes that Prattville’s program has been effective at bringing relief to the neighbors of the weeded lots. He explained, “While weeded and blighted lots detract from the overall quality of life in our community, the detrimental impact of these nuisances is borne on the neighbors. Our program is designed to correct the nuisance and bring relief to the neighbors as quickly as permitted by Alabama law.”

If you have questions about a weeded lot or other nuisances in your neighborhood, please contact the Planning Department at 361-3613 or email Joel Duke.