Leslie Pryor assigned this issue to Community Development 1

Dear Resident:

Thank you for your concern regarding 1418 Orchard with debris/refuse and possibly no running water/electricity. Your "SeeClickFix" comments have been sent to the Department of Community Development for action. The property will be inspected by Community Development Department staff within not more than three business days.

Please note that after an inspection confirms a violation, City Code requires that the property owner or occupant receive a written violation notice with up to ten days to address the violation. If the violation is not corrected after the time period specified, additional enforcement action will be taken as determined appropriate.

I hope this information is helpful. Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

I will be updating this public health, and fire hazard, threat weekly. The litter pile has doubled in size.

What is the status of this? City should have been out last week to inspect.

Dear Resident,

The Department of Community Development inspected the property on March 21, 2016 and confirmed the debris/refuse violation. A violation notice was subsequently sent to the property owner with a correction date of March 31, 2016. The site will be inspected after the correction date and if the violation is still present, additional enforcement action will be taken.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

Has the city inspected this residence today yet at the 3/31 deadline?

The property owner has requested a couple extra days and has indicated arrangements have been made to have the debris/refuse removed from the site beginning tomorrow (Friday, April 1st). The Department of Community Development will reinspect the property early next week to determine the status of the violation.

What is the status of this?

Dear Resident,

As you are aware, a significant amount of debris/refuse has been removed from the site. Pieces of indoor furniture and a couple televisions still remain stored outdoors and a Final Notice was sent to the property owner today stating these items need to be removed by Thursday, April 14th or a civil infraction ticket will be issued.

Thank you for your continued patience as we work with the property owner in hopes of obtaining voluntary compliance. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me in the Department of Community Development.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

What is the current status?

Getting better. However this wasn't the first time that this driveway has been used as a trash dump. The remaining refuse will continue to grow a new trash heap if not addressed.

Residents had until 4/14 - what is the status?

Dear Resident,

A civil infraction ticket will be issued to the property owner later today. Based on the District Court schedule, an Informal Hearing will be conducted on May 6, 2016. At this time, the Magistrate will determine responsibility, fines/fees and a compliance order.

If you have any further questions, please contact me in the Department of Community Development.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

Trash pile in dtiveway and on front lawn.

Driveway.

Dear Resident,

As previously indicated, a civil infraction ticket was issued to the property owner and an Informal Hearing will be held at District Court tomorrow (Friday, May 6th). At this time, the Magistrate will determine responsibility, fines/fees and a compliance order.

If you have any further questions, please contact me in the Department of Community Development.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

Not good enough. Will call.

So what is the next step now that the city will need to do to correct this problem now going on two months?

One year. Previous to first pic a trailer was filled last summer. Driveway filled with trash again. Another trailer filled ~2 weeks ago. This is 3rd trash pile.

They've done a good job getting trash to curbside for free pickup May 9.

But the driveway s still full of trash.

Driveway. Just needs to be carried 20 more feet.

Dear Resident,

At the Informal Hearing last week Friday (May 6th), the Magistrate found the property owner in violation and signed a 30-day Compliance Order which requires the property owner to remove all debris and refuse from the site by June 6th.

If you have any further questions, please contact me in the Department of Community Development.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone
269-329-4506 - fax

The home is looking much better. Thank you.

What is the status of this?

Dear Resident,

As you are aware, the majority of the debris/refuse has been removed from the site, however, the property is still not in complete compliance with the Court issued Compliance Order. An advisory notice was sent to the property owner stating that all remaining debris/refuse needs to be removed by June 15th or a Show Cause Hearing will be requested through District Court.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP
Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone 269-329-4506 - fax

: / Photo: June 18th

On a side note I would like to thank my fellow citizens for legalizing marijuana. My neighborhood is so much the better for it.

Dear Resident,

As an update for you, 1418 Orchard is still not in compliance with the Court issued Compliance Order. As a result, a Show Cause for Contempt hearing has been scheduled for Monday, August 29th at the 8th District Court in Kalamazoo. At this hearing, the judge will decide the next legal course of action against the property owner. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael West, AICP Senior City Planner
Department of Community Development
City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002
269-329-4475 - phone 269-329-4506 - fax

What is the status of this?

A Show Cause for Contempt hearing was held on Monday, August 29th at the 8th District Court in Kalamazoo. The property owner did not appear at this hearing and the judge found the property owner in contempt and imposed daily fines. Paperwork regarding this finding will be prepared and issued to the property owner. If the property owner continues to ignore the court order, additional court action (e.g., bench warrant, abatement order, etc.) will be requested.

Less concerned about trash, more disturbed by the high level of traffic and outside visitors.

Any update on this?

The original Compliance Order is still in effect and daily fines are being imposed by the District Court, based on the Show Cause for Contempt hearing was held on August 29th, until the violation is corrected. If the property owner continues to ignore the Court, a bench warrant may be issued by the judge.

So good to see the young people using their bikes and cell phones to help out these poor folks 😇

Almost daily

Community outreach?

Or just kind hearted kids?

What else is being done! And i don't think those kids are there to help clean up. It even smells if you walk by this place.

If you believe there is criminal activity occurring at this site, I would suggest you contact the Police Department (329-4567).

Hahaha...its been done, done and done and ignored. Anyone with a brain or common sense can see it!!!! Theres so much activity, and the Portage Police "know Chester" , that they apparently feel his drug activity is harmless..maybe so until you bring young people under 18 drug dealing..i will continue to share these young individuals so if your kid is there you need ti have a big time intervention.

The TRUMP sign nicely offsets the new trash.

Perfect match...the trash and trump sign

Any update to this? Another month has gone by and still an issue.

Since the property owner has repeatedly ignored both the city issued violation notices/civil infraction ticket and the District Court issued Compliance Order, Show Cause for Contempt and daily fines, we are in discussions with the City Attorney as to what other legal options are available (possibly a Formal Hearing and a request for an abatement order against the property). I should have more information next week.

As a further update to this case, a request to abatement the debris/refuse at this property been prepared by the City Attorney and the request will be presented to the District Court for consideration sometime in November. Since the property owner continues to ignore the court issued Compliance Order and Show Cause for Contempt daily fines, the next action needs to be authorized by District Court. If/when the Abatement Order request is approved by District Court, the city will hire a contractor to remove the debris/refuse from the site and bill the property owner for the costs.

Very good.

I just received the paperwork from the City Attorney and the Show Cause Hearing at District Court to consider the Abatement Order request is scheduled for December 5, 2016.

Trash strewn about.

Lots of people walk through trash but never clean it up.

Community safety issue.

On the plus side this neighborhood is paying WAY too much in property taxes. I'm going to work on getting those cut in half. If I have to live like this I'm not paying to do it.

Property taxes in this area are too high for services provided.

What is the status of this?

As an update to this case, a Show Cause Hearing at District Court to consider the Abatement Order was held on December 5, 2016. The property owner was present and requested additional time to remove the debris/refuse items. Despite the City's request for an abatement order (city would hire contractor to remove debris/refuse items and then bill property owner), the Judge granted the property owner additional time to address the violation before he would issue the Abatement Order. A follow-up Status Review Hearing is scheduled for January 30, 2017.

What's the status?

On January 30, 2017, a Status Review Hearing was held at District Court and the Judge found the property owner in compliance and closed the case. Staff disagreed with the findings, however, the Judge instructed the property owner to address a couple remaining outdoor debris/refuse items and to keep the property free of debris/refuse in the future. If the violation is repeated in the future, a new code enforcement case will need to be created and the legal process started again.

Thank you for reporting this issue. The issue you reported has been fixed and we are closing this issue.