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Resident Complains To Commissioners About Neighbor's Property

Last updated on Wednesday, February 15, 2012

(BEDFORD) - Bedford resident Larry Brown is concerned about his neighborhood and voiced those concerns at the Lawrence County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning.

Brown, who lives in Leatherwood Circle, says his neighbors are making an eye sore of the neighborhood.

He says the Sullivan's junk and trash are blowing onto the county right-of-ways. He asked the commissioner if they could address the issue.

Commissioner Bill Spreen says there is not much the county can do to address the issue because there is no zoning in the county.

"No one likes to be told what to do with their property," Spreen says. "We have no way to enforce the issues you are describing. If problems develop and those problems can't be solved we will be forced into zoning issues. We can't have the county looking like a junk yard. But now our hands are tied, because we do not have zoning, other than have the sheriff go out and take a look and if the trash is on the public portions he will have the homeowner remove it."

Mitchell resident Ron Pridemore requested the commissioners to explain why county ordinances could not be enforced if it involved safety and health issues, such as Brown's problem.

County attorney Dave Smith explained that the county did not have a comprehensive land use plan therefore the ability to enforce issues is limited to county right-of-ways. But if the issue involved health and safety issues the county board of health could address those issues.

Brown also asked the commissioners about vacating a roadway next to his property in the addition. Brown says he has been dealing with the issue for more than 9 months and was promised an answer. Commissioner Dave Flinn says he would light a fire under County Highway Project Manager Bob Dillon and have the issue addressed. Brown was to meet with Dillon after the meeting.

Brown also asked the commissioner about repaving roads in Leatherwood Circle. He says the material used to patch the roadways is not working and washing out and into resident's drives and yards. David Holmes, county highway superintendent, agreed that the cold pack material is not working. He added it may be because the temperatures are not freezing the material. Commissioner Flinn says he realizes there are several problems on the 700 miles of county roads but the county only has a budget to repair about 16 miles a year, limiting repairs.

In other business:

* The commissioners approved grant funds for the Lawrence County Emergency Management Department. Some of the money will be used to pay an employee's salary and another grant will be used to fund the purchase of Haz Mat Suits and for a water purification systems for team.

* Sheriff Sam Craig told the commission he plans to submit a 2011 annual report at the next meeting. The report will focus on the departments accomplished for 2011. He says currently there were 108 inmates at the jail, 14 of those women and 17 inmates being held for the Department of Corrections.

* Project Manager Bob Dillon submitted bids for the Williams Covered Bridge Project. The state handed out 10 bids but only three were returned. Commissioner Spreen asked that action on the bids be tabled until they could be reviewed.

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