Sunday, May 24, 2009

"No Ground Cover" Merits A 311 Report (Who Knew?)

Photo By John Hoff

Through constant contact with the 311 system, I keep learning new tricks. Of course, the first thing I want to do when I learn a new trick is to pass it on to EVERYBODY...

Some days ago, I was calling in a weedy, overgrown BACK yard. Of course, the front yard was mostly bare, exposed dirt, so I wasn't complaining about 12-inch dandelions on THAT score. No, I was just calling in the BACK yard.

The 311 operator asked me some specifics about the yard because--as it turned out--there was an open report for "no ground cover" on the front yard.

My ears got all pointy at that moment. Be still, my foolish heart, a new category of violation that can be called in on vacant, bank owned properties? 

Sigh. Contentment. 

The 311 system is like a complex, beautiful lover...just when things start to get into a routine, there's a delightful new twist to spice up EVERYTHING. Am I not the happiest "Pro-City" resident to ever LIVE and LOVE MINNEAPOLIS?

Yeah, I get excited about geeky municipal things.

2 comments:

Kevin said...

The same "no ground cover" rule also applies to Blvds. Even though the city owns the Blvds., it's the responsibility of the owner to maintain them. Not only does that include ground cover, but that includes trash - you have to pickup the trash on your Blvd.

Slightly off topic, but I've been noticing this disturbing trend on my block of people kind-of mowing their yards, but not touching the Blvds. Even more disturbing, these are owner occupied properties.

Johnny Northside said...

Forgive them, Municipal Father, they know not what they do...