Board Votes to Send Crews to Fix Lawns

Aggressive Policy Aims to Weed Out Blight

The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to enact emergency legislation to allow the county to step in and mow the overgrown lawns that have proliferated around eastern Loudoun and that some say are a black mark on their neighborhoods.

The county previously could penalize a homeowner or send crews to cut the lawn only if it is deemed to be a health threat -- for example, if it harbors rodents. The proposal endorsed this week would allow the county to step in if the grass and weeds grow taller than one foot.

The new standard relies more on aesthetics than health, said Supervisor Lori L. Waters (R-Broad Run).

"Under the previous ordinance, the county was more limited in what it could do," she said. "This gives the county the ability to be more aggressive in responding to the complaints."

The policy is part of a broader effort by the board to address quality-of-life complaints in the Sterling area, where foreclosures, an aging housing stock and, some say, illegal immigration have tarnished the community's appearance. Although the community is largely tidy, residents say, its appeal has been undermined by the occasional garbage-strewn lawn, a number of crowded homes and a proliferation of commercial vehicles where family cars used to be.

Also Tuesday, the board voted to accept online complaints about crowded houses and other zoning violations. Previously, anyone who wanted to file a zoning complaint with the county had to do so by mail or in person.

Complaints about tall grass and other issues have soared this year in Loudoun, particularly in Sterling, where a rash of foreclosures has left some houses abandoned and neglected. From Jan. 1 through June 2, the county received 244 complaints of overgrown lawns, compared with 27 for all of last year.

In most instances, homeowners cleaned up their lawns immediately after being contacted by the county. (In some instances, the owners were banks.) A few times, however, landscapers on contract with the county had to be dispatched to fix up the worst yards, at a cost of about $634 per yard.

Supervisors did not devote more money to the effort Tuesday, but Waters said that might be necessary if the county encounters a flurry of violations. Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio (R-Sterling) has advocated the use of community volunteers instead of paid staff or contractors.

Under the new rules, offending homeowners who have let their lawns grow wild will be given several weeks to fix their properties. If they fail to do so, county contractors will mow the lawns, and the homeowners will be billed. Repeat offenders could be subject to fines.

Fairfax and Prince William counties have similar ordinances. Loudoun's policy takes effect immediately but lasts 60 days, during which officials plan to hold a public hearing and vote on whether to reaffirm the policy to make it permanent.

Supervisors also voted to raise some commuter bus fares, expand bus service and lease two additional buses to accommodate an increase in ridership and higher fuel costs. According to a county analysis, ridership has increased 19 percent since January, with larger increases on peak commuting days.

Beginning Sept. 1, fares on county-run buses that travel the longest routes will increase by $1 to $7 per trip for SmarTrip card users and $8 for cash fares. Metro connection fares would go up by a quarter to $1.75 for SmarTrip card users and $2.25 for cash fares.