Abby Council adopts new grass-cutting rule
At a meeting that lasted less than 10 minutes Monday, the Abbotsford City Council approved an ordinance revision that will require all property owners outside of agriculture zones to keep their grass cut to a height of eight inches or less, regardless of the lot size.
The ordinance was revised after city staff noticed that a few properties in residential and commercial zones were allowing their grass to grow long, which had previously been permitted under the ordinance as long as the lot was three acres or more.
City administrator Josh Soyk said he looked at ordinances in other municipalities and realized that it’s standard practice to only exempt properties that are officially zoned agricultural. Abbotsford has just a couple of ag zoned properties on the outskirts of the city, including one near the city dump.
Grass that is allowed to grow beyond eight inches high could be declared a public nuisance, allowing the city to arrange for the grass to be cut at the owner’s expense.
The ordinance revision was approved unanimously.
Other business
â– Library director Jenny Jochimsen told the council that she and other local library directors attended a Clark County Executive Committee meeting in Neillsville that morning to discuss a proposal that would eliminate county funding for Marathon County patrons who use Clark County libraries. Jochimsen said most county supervisors still seem to be in favor of the idea, but she and the other library directors will continue to plead their case at future county meetings.
Jochimsen also told the council that 105 kids and 75 teens and adults signed up for the library’s summer reading program, with the finale planned for July 16 outside city hall.
■The council renewed an alcohol operator’s license for Emmalee Empey at Dollar General.
