Woman’s property deemed a nuisance by City shortly after moving in
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - There’s a lot to learn when buying a new house for the first time and if you don’t learn quickly enough, you could end up in trouble with the City of Toledo just like one Toledo woman.
As a first-time homeowner, Natalie Laney was taking advantage of her large, new lawn. She stored a few building materials for home renovations on the side of the house and a car in the yard. That’s when Laney received a shocking letter form the City.
“We were reported to the City for having a nuisance property,” said Laney. “My heart dropped. It was pretty unnerving.”
The Laneys were given three days to fix the problem which is much shorter than they typical 30 day deadline.
“So, the notice gives you 72 hours to abate the nuisance or you will be charged with a $600 fine and a minor misdemeanor,” said Laney. “We had a vehicle parked in our side yard, tucked very far back and we had some building items from inside the house just kind of neatly stacked over there on the side.”
The Code Compliance Commissioner tells 13 Action News that the vehicles parked on the grass can leak hazardous fluids and the building materials can become breeding grounds for rodents.
The commissioner says there are also a few vehicle-related rules homeowners should be aware of including:
- Any vehicle outside of a garage must be operable and have proper plates and tags.
- If you’re fixing an old car, it can’t be stored outside.
- Cars can only be parked on concrete and asphalt; No gravel unless it’s grandfathered in.
If you don’t follow these rules, you could receive a nuisance order and a fine and if you don’t comply, the City can tow your car.
To learn more about how to avoid nuisance orders, you can read the full Toledo Municipal Code here.
If there is a property in your community that has become a neighborhood nuisance, reach out to Sophie Bates on social media or by email at sophie.bates@13abc.com.
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