The City of Hendersonville had a humorous post on its Facebook page on Aug. 20, but the post was also serious about those who neglect to mow grass.

"We know it's hard to hear sometimes, but it may be time to cut the grass," the post said.

Accompanying the post was a still photo from the movie "Honey I Shrunk the Kids," but the City of Hendersonville's post changed the words to "Honey it's time to cut the grass."

Hendersonville actually does have an ordinance about tall grass, and anyone who goes against that ordinance will face fines in the form of what the ordinance calls "unpaid taxes."

The City said in the post that its Code Enforcement Office was working to bring properties into compliance and over the next week.

"They'll be sweeping through the City of Hendersonville to ensure our community is holding up our reputation as a safe, clean, and charming gem of WNC," the post said. "Our enumeration ordinance extends to more than grass - it includes graffiti, vermin infestation, accumulations of trash and other threats to public health."

The ordinance is as follows:

The existence of any of the following conditions, among others, on any lot, parcel of land, residence or building is, among any other conditions, hereby declared to be noxious, dangerous and prejudicial to the public health and to constitute a nuisance and to be violative of the provisions of this article:

• Any growth of weeds or grass to a greater height than 24 inches
• Any accumulations of animal or vegetable matter, or any other material, which is offensive by virtue of strong odors, vapors, deterioration or decay, or has become infested with rats, mice, snakes or vermin of any kind.
• Any other condition which to a person of reasonable intelligence and discretion would constitute a condition dangerous or prejudicial to the public health.
  
• Any accumulation of trash, refuse, junk or other discarded material not either placed in an authorized receptacle with a reasonable expectation that it would be collected for disposal or recycling or stored in an authorized solid waste or recycling facility.
  
• Graffiti, which is defined as any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, painting or other defacement that is written, marked, etched, scratched, sprayed, drawn, painted, or engraved on or otherwise affixed to any external surface of public or private property by an implement, to the extent that graffiti was not authorized in advance by the owner or possessor.

 

The City said if a member of the Code Enforcement Office notifies a homeowner of violation of the ordinance, the homeowner has 15 days to remedy the situation. After 15 days, the city will take care of it, and it will come at a cost to the homeowner in the form of a lien upon the property, which will be collected as unpaid taxes, the City said.

As for neighboring Asheville, it also has a yard ordinance, but Buncombe County does not. Asheville's ordinance states that homeowners in the city "shall keep such land and all appurtenances thereto free and clear of all trash, rubbish, garbage, weeds, grass or other objects that cause such land and appurtenances to become a nuisance or menace to the health and welfare of the citizens who live adjacent or near thereto."

Anyone not obeying the ordinance will be subject to a civil penalty by the city, the ordinance says, but the ordinance didn't give a specific height of the grass.

 

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSGrass too tall? Better mow or face penalties in Hendersonville, Asheville (wlos.com)