OPINION — I am currently recovering from neck surgery, so the only exercise that I get is walk every morning. We live in a very nice area of Santa Clara near the Arrowhead Elementary School.
I normally walk 1 to 2 miles each day thru different neighborhoods in our area. I have noticed that there are several homes in the area that have broken down/inoperable vehicles and boats, weeds along with miscellaneous pieces of junk in the front yards.
I know that Santa Clara along with other cities have regulations and ordinances regarding such things as stated above and also have code enforcement officers on staff.
If I can see these obvious issues, why doesn’t the city code enforcement officer do something about them? It appears that calling the city does not do any good, I have tried. Maybe there is so much major crime in Santa Clara for the city to be concerned about these small issues.
There are beautiful homes and well kept yards in this area and it is a shame that others tend to neglect/ignore theirs.
Written by LONNIE THOMPSON, Santa Clara.
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Hey Lonnie,
Your letter makes you sound like a bitter old man with way too much time on your hands. For all you knkow , code enforcement could be dealing with it already, They wouldn’t be telling you. If you have a problem with a neighbor’s lawn not being mowed , maybe you could offer to help them with it instead of crying to the government about it. The people you are bitching about might have bigger problems than yours my friend..Maybe you could try to help them out instead of trying to make more trouble.
Hey John, your letter makes you sound like a gullible old man with too much time on your hands.
“If you have a problem with a neighbor’s lawn not being mowed, maybe you could offer to help them…” Yeah Lonnie, go ahead and mow your neighbor’s lawn for them. When you’re done, come wash my car. LOL
Sir, I can assure you my AMC Pacer is in perfect operating condition!
Ridiculous
I agree with the editor as a person that cares to take care of their home and surroundings. Wouldn’t anyone want to clean-up the area around their home for better relations within the neighborhood? Why should the neighbors need to ask them to do so, it is not their place, and the resident should do so on their own. Granted, many do not care what their place looks like, but others…and that property owner’s property values suffer because of it. The city should get involved before matters get far worse.
Those old timers with the junk filled yards were there long before you got there and built your boxy mcmansion. You moved to smalltown hickville UT. Get over yourself. Find something more productive to whine about. We get it, you had “neck surgery” and need to whine and moan about something. Get over yourself, you’re not that important. Plus, since u just had “neck surgery” it’d be best to keep your head pointed straight ahead, stop rubbernecking into other people’s yards
😉
you know what really grinds my gears,
are these people with these newer houses and they are trying to make the people that have been
here way before the newer houses, like for example the idea of trying to make people move out
of their houses in washington so a exit ramp could be built to make a certain neighborhood, (newer part of green springs) less busy.
All cities in Dixie could and should do a better job of code enforcement and encourage local residents to clean up the eyesores. Some areas have a third world look about them that affects everyone’s property values and well being. We are all in this together so lets not be bad neighbors. We should neither be cranky and overly critical of our neighbors nor should we be sloppy and disregard that others have invested in our community to all of our benefit. Keep Dixie Beautiful should be our motto, then everyone wins.
you need to quit judging other people by how they choose to keep their yards, I am sure they were here way before you,
as far as you loosing your investment of your home, that was your chosen risk from the start, quit blaming other people
on your poor investment decisions.
Here’s the deal: If you want to live somewhere that every yard is perfectly manicured you should move somewhere with an HOA, and maybe even a 55+ community. Then you can run for Dictator and walk around with a clipboard on patrol warning people that they’ve exceeded the 3 weeds for 3 days limit, or that their dog is 27 pounds and the limit is 26 pounds (because that is how much YOUR dog weighs; this is an actual example from an HOA here in southern Utah).
If you’re living in a normal neighborhood without an HOA, with families and people from all walks of life, with the exception of the most egregious cases with multiple dilapidated cars that have been there for years you have no grounds. Seriously, you’re big complaint in life is “weeds” and a broken down vehicle? Seriously, gain some perspective.
AGREED……
We have rule of law because we are Americans. Those of you who attacked this man herein, for simply wanting the rule of law to prevail in Santa Clara are Soviet Americans. Sorry l, no other way to see it. Yeah we all have problems . Fires in our backyard, falling trees in our driveways, financial obligations, and
other pending issues, but as Americans we have agreed upon one thing – Not just the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence , but the rule of law. There is no seniority in regards to the rule of law, sorry Mr Gremlin owner. I have lived in Santa Clara for awhile. Overall people are fixing up their houses and their landscapes. But there are still some unfinished brick walls that have been there for 4 years+. Those are disputes, and in some areas there are rentals that are left to renters for upkeep. The bottom-line is the codes in Santa Clara should be enforced, and simply contact or send in information to the local government to resolve issues. I have found them to be very competent . We the people have to live together and no single group or person has a right to override the rule of law . In theory, it is like the 10 commandments, the rule of law, if you think about it, is meant to maximize happiness, peace, and enjoyment for everybody. If we do not operate and function by the rule of law as Americans , then are we not the same as the Soviets of yesteryear.
LOL, the soviets had laws. not sure where u wingnuts come up with this nonsense
😉
I would simply note from my personal experience that Santa Clara has an excellent Code Enforcement Officer, I believe he is the first one the city has hired. I believe he has been on the job only since early this year and doesn’t yet work full-time. I have found him to be very responsive when approached with a specific problem that is covered by the Santa Clara Codes. It is good for all Santa Clara residents to read the Santa Clara Codes and make sure that the issue about which you are complaining is in fact covered by the code. The Code Enforcement Officer can only take action where there is a code. If one doesn’t exist, then seek assistance through the City Council to correct or add an appropriate code. If you read the code for other cities in Washington County or Northern Utah, you will find some have very different codes and perhaps some would serve as good examples for you to take to the City Council for change or addition to our codes. Again, I am grateful for the cooperation I have found with our Code Enforcement Officer
Sound like it should be a church issue
Maybe you should join the ordinance enforcement so that you will be able to see why it takes so long to get people to clean up their yards. It took the city two years of battling in the court system to get my neighbor to clean up their yard. Its called due process and it really drags out. I’m sure the city is working on it. Put your blinders on and just keep walking.
Am I alone in being sick and tired of being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it by some self-appointed stuffed shirt that has too much time on their hands? I don’t want to have the house next door look like the set for Sanford And Son. But, if that is how the owner chooses to live, then so be it. Ever wonder if that house and property needs some TLC, is because the owner is physically unable to clean it up, and financially unable to pay someone else to do it?
Ever tried to actually find out anything about the the owner? Ever offered to help them out? Ever tried to be a friend to them? Or is it just easier to complain about it, and try to get someone else to force your way of thinking onto them?
I can very easily see both sides of this issue! Few people want to see their property value fall, because of the condition of the neighbor’s property. But there may be a very valid reason for the neighbor to be unable to clean it up! And if the property in question is a rental, rather than owner occupied, ever think about talking with the owner or property manager?
CHJ post is right on 100%. No this isn’t a church issue, as some of us folks is SC, believe it or not , are non religious in context. Let’s continue to separate church from state in regards to the law . As far as the Soviet Union having laws, this is true, but the rule of law is subordinate to a cleptocracy or for that matter the next government official up the chain. I am happy to be a wingnut by any DEFINITION then to be an uneducated Soviet American that thinks the rule of law only applies to them or their social group. Great letter, kudos to my neighbor to bring this into the open. This is how we make Santa Clara better. I can leave my garage door open all night for three days in a row with confidence nothing bad will happen. Mark my words, Santa Clara will continue to evolve, and there will be growing pains. What is important is to communicate and be good neighbors to each other. My next door neighbor and I just finished building a wall together back in early July. As a community we can work out issues if the will exists. We simply need to collaborate, and most importantly LISTEN instead of react . Not easy, but not impossible in this day and age.
See, being declared a wingnut is a badge of honor. Heck, without wingnuts, 747s can fall out of the sky.