Cleaning Up Nuisance Messes Not Always Quick

Cleaning up nuisance messes isn’t always as quick as some might hope.

Charles City Police Chief Hugh Anderson understands the concerns and frustrations, but says they can take time to rectify.

One nuisance situation generating extra attention, due its high visibility, is a pile of belongings along South Main Street, one of the busiest roads of travel in town.

Anderson adds this particular case comes with other challenges in their efforts to remediate the nuisance.

Unfortunately, Anderson says code does not specify what constitutes a “reasonable amount of time.”  

Meanwhile, the City has been working to tighten codes regarding nuisances to make them more stringent. Earlier this week, the City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance regarding outdoor storage and junk vehicles. No changes are official until a third reading is conducted.