Keep your property up or face a fine

By By Mitch Freeman Madison County Record
Madison residents who don't keep their properties maintained could face a fine, thanks to a new ordinance.
Madison's City Council recently enacted a schedule of fees that would be levied against property owners who fail to maintain their property.
According to Community Development Director Bob Atallo would go into effect after all attempts to get people to cut unsightly grass and weeds have been exhausted. If the homeowners won't clean up their property, the city will then step in and do the work.
However, the property owner would be billed, and if the bill were not paid within 30 days a lien would be placed against the property.
The charge schedule relates to lot size and whether or not a lien against the property is required. A lot of 12,000 square feet or less would cost $127, if paid within 30 days or $552 if filing a lien is required; 12,001 to 25,000 square feet would cost $162, if paid within 30 days or $587 if filing a lien is required; more than 25,001 square feet would cost $228, if paid within 30 days or $653 if filing a lien is required.
Edgewater resident Jim Synder addressed the council about loud music coming from the Madison Aquatic Center which, he said, disrupted a backyard cook out.
"We couldn't carry on a conversation in our own backyard," Synder said.
The incident happened on a Sunday afternoon when the Synders had out-of-town guests. He said the noise shook his house and caused his guests to leave.
The Edgewater community is adjacent to the aquatic park. Council members said action would be taken to remedy the problem.
"We definitely need to deal with the noise issue," Councilwoman Cynthia McCollum said. "I had no idea the noise was so bad."
As a follow-up to previous council business, the city council resolved to repeal in its entirety the section of the city ordinance that relates to discharging shotguns in the city limits. It was cited that when the ordinance was enacted in 1988, shooting or hunting with shotguns in Madison was considered safe. As a result of population growth in the city, shotgun shooting is now considered to be a public safety hazard and therefore should no longer be allowed.
District 3 Councilman Ray Stubblefield proposed the ordinance change.
* A federal and state funding agreement for pedestrian safety projects was accepted by the city council. Upon release of some $53,000, the following would be candidates for implementation:
Bob Jones High School – two flashing warning lights and 25-mph speed signs.
Horizon Elementary School – two flashing warning lights and 25-mph speed signs.
Will Halsey Way at Hughes Road – four pedestrian signals with pushbutton, a 28-foot and a 78-foot crosswalk.
Browns Ferry at Wall Triana – four pedestrian signals.
Mill Road at Church Street, for Madison Elementary – 30-foot crosswalk and two crossing signs.
Mill Road at Sullivan Street, for Madison Elementary – four pedestrian signals with pushbutton, a 190-foot and a 44-foot crosswalk.
Madison Public Library entrance – a 187-foot by 5-foot wide sidewalk.
Old Madison Pike at Hughes Road – a 326-foot crosswalk.
Wall Triana at West Madison School – a 27-foot crosswalk.
Hughes Road at Eastview – a 38-foot crosswalk, a 43-foot crosswalk and two 15-foot stop lines.
Highland Drive at Cherry Road – a 55-foot crosswalk, three 52-foot crosswalks and four 18-foot stop lines.
Highland Drive at Springwater Drive – a 43-foot crosswalk, two 55-foot crosswalks and three 18-foot stop lines.
Highland Drive at Miller Boulevard – two 50-foot crosswalks, two 57-foot crosswalks and four 18-foot stop lines.
Highland Drive at Inwood Trail – an 82-foot crosswalk and an 18-foot stop line.
Highland Drive at Old Madison Pike – a 65-foot crosswalk, a 68-foot crosswalk and two 18-foot stop lines.
Hughes Road at Leathertree Lane – a 52-foot crosswalk and a 15-foot stop line.
Hughes Road at Cathedral Drive – a 100-foot crosswalk and an 18-foot stop line.
County Line Road at Huntington Chase Drive – two wheelchair ramps and a 30-foot by five-foot wide sidewalk
Main Street at Bandito Burrito Restaurant – one wheelchair ramp.
In other council business:
* About 10 acres south of Highway 72, owned by Archie and Mildred Bobo, was rezoned from agricultural use to commercial.
* Some 64 acres south of Hardiman Road, owned by Philmond Smith, was rezoned from agricultural to medium density residential.
* About 10 acres off Old Overton Drive, owned by Heritage Plantation, Inc., was rezoned from agricultural to zero lot line residential.
* Some 38,500 square feet east of Wall Triana and north of Chestnut Drive, owned by John McGee, was rezoned from low density residential to neighborhood commercial.
* Councilman Larry Vannoy, liaison to the public works department, was granted a requested for $20,000 to pay for recently incurred overtime. He said clean up following the early May storms required public works personnel to work overtime. Mayor Jan Wells said she would seek federal disaster money to help cover the costs associated with storm clean up.
* Council approved payment of $2,001.31 to Frederick Design Studio, for architectural services related to the outdoor pool at Dublin Park. Payment of $23,270 to Burleson Master Pool Co. was authorized, for work related to the pool. Payment of $95,465.14 to Lee Builders was authorized, for work also related to the pool.
* Council approved payment of $500 to Smith Engineering for work related to the Kid's Kingdom road project.
* Council approved payment of $19,600 to Civil Solutions for services related to Wall Triana road improvement.
* Travel expenses were approved for four Madison school resource officers to attend training. The travel expenses will be reimbursed by a grant.
* The council agreed to appoint Boyd Edmondson to replace Industrial Development Board member James Samuelson, who moved away from Madison.