Politics & Government

Unsightly Properties an Ongoing Issue in Cranford

One Connecticut Street property is 'getting worse everyday' with insects, mice and cats.

Unsightly properties were still on the agenda at Cranford’s workshop meeting on Monday, specifically a property on Connecticut Street that is drawing insects, mice and cats to the grounds.

A longtime Cranford resident, Bob D’Ambola, had submitted a letter to the township discussing the issue of the Connecticut Street property and how a backyard neighbor to the property mentioned being unable to let her children outside due the cat droppings.

“It gets worse everyday,” he expressed.

Township Administrator Joe Hartnett said addressing the property, along with other unkempt properties, is something the township is actively working on.

“It is something we are concerned with,” he stated.

Hartnett added that there are two parts to the township’s plan on addressing these properties.

The first, he stated, would be putting in place policy action with the maximum financial implications to property owners. Secondly, is the current action the township is taking to get these properties maintained immediately.

The biggest issue is trying to have the properties be of no cost the township or the taxpayers, Hartnett explained. In executive session the Township was set to discuss legal ways to go about putting the cost on the property owner.

Mayor Thomas Hannen asked Hartnett if it would be possible to progressively issue the onerous charges in a series of first, second and third warnings to make property owners act on their properties.

Hartnett stated that he would discuss with the Township Attorney if they could possibly implement a charge that increases each day so properties do not become worse over such a long period time.

However, Hartnett pointed out that there is a difference between a property looking unsightly and actually violating code. Unfortunately, he said, some properties might not look pleasing, but are not in violation of the code.

He added that certain property owners may live in Cranford or nearby, while others can be banks or distant relatives in other states, which makes it less likely they care about the sight of the property.

As of now, Hartnett said he and various members of township departments have visited the properties around Cranford and they are working with the owners to have them maintained as quickly as possible.

Check back with Cranford Patch for more discussions from the Monday and Tuesday committee meetings.


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