ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Residents who back up to a busy stretch of Belleview Avenue in Englewood are being forced to clean up overgrown weeds. Notices recently went out to 24 properties and the letters had some homeowners wondering if it was their responsibility.
The overgrown weeds and tall grass is located on the other side of their fences, backing up to the sidewalk that runs along Belleview. Homeowners say even if they wanted to cut the weeds, they feel like it is unsafe to do so.
Another resident pointed out a "do not walk" sign that is posted above the sidewalk. To him it was further evidence of how dangerous the area is. City officials told Denver7 they understand how the sign could be confusing and they're working to make changes.
"It’s the other side and we don’t have access to the other side," explained Bill Humphrey.
Humprey has lived in his house for many years. It belonged to his wife's parents but he said this is the first time he's ever received a notice.
"The weeds are growing, they want the homeowners to clean them up and the homeowners are not going to clear around because they don’t have access to it," said Humphrey. "They’re not growing underneath the fence, they’re growing on the other side of the fence."
A spokesperson with the City of Englewood said the responsibility of maintaining this stretch of property ultimately falls on the homeowner. He added that code enforcement is scheduled to re-inspect the area in one week.
The majority of property owners that back up to Belleview Avenue do a great job maintaining their property along the sidewalk. A few owners, some of which are absentee landlords, have abandoned their property maintenance responsibilities and incorrectly claim that the weeds in question are on public property. All of the weeds that are taller than the code-allowed 6 inches are located on private property, coming up through the crack between the fence and the edge of the sidewalk. These weeds are obstructing the sidewalk, and also have a blighting effect on Englewood’s southern border as thousands of cars a day drive through one of our busiest roadways. Englewood is raising the bar to encourage economic development and elevate the quality of life for our residents through beautification and property maintenance standards.
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