Tarentum residents will face instant penalty for unsafe, eyesore properties

A new quality-of-life ordinance approved by Tarentum Council is expected to keep residents accountable for their properties, council members said during a meeting Tuesday night.

Council enacted new guidelines aimed at keeping properties tidy and safe. The ordinance outlines health and safety requirements that target high grass, junk vehicles and excessive garbage.

“Right now, if someone has weeds and high grass, they get a notice on their door,” Councilwoman Lou Ann Homa said. “If they don’t take care of the issue, a letter is sent and, if they still don’t take care of it, the next step is a certified letter.”

The new ordinance would establish penalties for violators that begin with a $25 ticket.

Councilwoman Carrie Fox said the new rules will take care of procrastinators who let nuisances linger.

Other violations include placing indoor furniture on lawns and letting ice build up on sidewalks.

Manager Michael Nestico said residents stepped up a great deal in recent years with regard to maintaining their properties.

But there still are plenty who don’t comply with warnings, he said.

The point of the new ordinance is to get safety hazards and eyesores taken care of more quickly, Nestico said.

Moving forward, people who don’t take care of issues will have a growing fine. A $10 penalty will be added to the original $25 ticket if not paid in 15 days.

If it remains unaddressed, the resident will be taken before the district judge.