By ALESHA CAPONE
MORE than 60 negligent landowners have been penalised by Hobsons Bay City Council in the past financial year.
During 2011-2012, the council sent out 62 infringement notices to owners of land kept in an unsightly or dangerous condition.
The council’s business and finance director, Glenn O’Sullivan, said the notices were issued to mainly residential properties and vacant land.
“The council has not taken anyone to court for unsightly land in the past 12 months,” he said.
Under Hobsons Bay Local Laws, council employees can issue fines for land which has large amounts of unconstrained rubbish dumped on it, disused excavation materials or grass taller than 150 millimetres high.
“If the council receives a complaint of land that is unsightly, the address is checked and if considered unsightly under the local law, a notice to comply is issued with a deadline for works to be completed,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“The council will check the address after the deadline and if the property has been tidied, no further action is taken. If the property has not been tidied, the council can issue an infringement notice with a fine of $300 and a contractor may be instructed to tidy the property.
“The owner is then invoiced for the cost of the work.
“Land considered unsightly or dangerous may be unsightly due to rubbish, derelict vehicles or waste material or may constitute a fire hazard with overgrown grass or weeds.
“Snakes and vermin also may hide in long grass and rubbish.
“Owners and occupiers of land are responsible for keeping their land in a safe and reasonable state.”
Residents concerned about the state of land in Hobsons Bay can contact the council on 9933 1000.
