Trending
Antis Township supervisors are trying to rectify an ongoing issue in Tipton with several property owners from the same farm family who have vehicles, machinery and other items on their lots, triggering complaints from their suburban neighbors.
Two of those neighbors reproached township officials at a meeting last week, urging the township to clean up the properties, then bill the owners, rather than continuing to work through citations at the local magisterial district judge's office and threatening a lawsuit if nothing decisive occurs soon.
The supervisors are "exploring additional enforcement steps with our solicitor in anticipation of taking further action in the immediate future," Township Manager Doug Brown stated in an email after an executive session that followed the meeting.
The "junk situation" that he's complained about many times is getting worse, said neighbor Jim Focht of Kingdom Street, referring to three properties near his house owned by members of the Taylor family. The original farm has been parceled off over the years and sold for residential development.
Township officials have talked about a crackdown, and some items have been removed, but "it's junked back up," Focht said, citing tires, an old camper and an unlicensed truck full of items on one nearby property.
Township officials have spoken about a "methodical approach" to the issue, but that isn't working, Focht said.
"What's your plan of action?" Focht demanded.
"You people wouldn't live beside this," Focht told the supervisors. "You wouldn't have your properties devalued."
Supervisor Dave Worthing replied, "We're going to solve the problem."
The township has been filing citations weekly, Brown said, answering Focht's suggestion that the township file daily -- a suggestion that solicitor Patrick Fanelli said wouldn't be "productive."
The township can't control the pace of progress being made via the magisterial district judge's office, said Supervisors Chairman Bob Smith.
The township has the authority to clean up the Taylor properties and lien them to recover costs, said neighbor Randy Rydbom of Ferndale Drive, who spoke of rodents and weeds as well as junk.
"I don't understand why you're taking the slow approach," Rydbom said.
That approach, which has involved working with the Taylors, hasn't succeeded in eliminating a nuisance that has lasted more than 25 years.
A cleanup followed by liening a problem property isn't often used, Fanelli said.
There are pros and cons, he added.
It's never been done in Antis, which has other problem properties besides the Taylors', as do other municipalities in the region, Brown said.
"You're not using all the tools in your toolbox," Rydbom stated.
Part of the problem is that while sometimes some items are removed, the Taylors then bring other items in, the neighbors said.
"We need to figure out how to clean it up and how to keep it cleaned up," said Supervisor Brian Kustaborder.
The original farm was 68 acres, said Kevin Taylor, standing on his brother Daryl's property at the end of Kingdom Street this week, across the street from his brother Ray's place and across Taylor Street from his own place.
Sections of that farm owned by his grandparents were sold off at different times, said Kevin, who is in his late 60s.
"Some of the neighbors think I'm terrible, I guess," he said. "(But) we're all trying to comply."
He has worked amicably with township officials to bring his own property and those of his brothers into compliance, he said.
There have been fines, he said, without apparent resentment.
Some of the issues cited at the meeting with bringing in new materials were probably related to his helping his daughter clean up her nearby farm, which she inherited from a family friend, Kevin said.
He has brought those items to his property to sort them out, with plans for eventual disposal, he said.
He's tried to be a good neighbor, not causing noise late at night, he said.
Still, it seems that some neighbors have been ganging up on the Taylors, he said.
He understands that township officials "don't want anything setting around," he said.
And he's hopeful that the family's current efforts resolve everything, he said.
"No one has ever disputed what you're saying," Smith told the suburban neighbors at the meeting. "None of us are particularly satisfied with the progress (the township has made)."
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.