Hank Foster is tired of complaining about high grass next door to his property at 4200 Mary Ann Lane. Foster said rats and snakes thrive in the high grass at 4181 Weaver Road. (Eric Cormier / American Press)
Hank Foster is tired of complaining about high grass next door to his property at 4200 Mary Ann Lane. Foster said rats and snakes thrive in the high grass at 4181 Weaver Road. (Eric Cormier / American Press)
Lake Charles man complains of high grass in neighboring lot
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 2:00 PM
By Eric Cormier / American Press
Hank Foster is tired of seeing tall grass, snakes and rodents.
The 81-year-old, who lives at 4200 Mary Ann Lane, is not pleased with the neighbors who live on the west side of his backyard fence.
Foster said the grass on the property –– which encompasses several acres — is uncut, violating Lake Charles city law.
“I’ve been fighting this for three years. I call the city. I call the Mayor’s Action Line. I am even thinking of a lawsuit,” he said.
The property at issue is owned by Bal Sareen, who lives at 4181 Weaver Road.
Officials in the city’s Property Standards Office said there has only been one complaint about the yard — made on Oct. 27. They said the property has been cut at least once this year.
But Foster believes the city should be enforcing the law, especially when grass is waist high. According to city inspectors, grass on land that isn’t wooded should be kept under 12 inches.
Foster complained to District G City Councilman Mark Eckard about the problem.
“He didn’t seem like he was interested. Evidently the city doesn’t have any guts to do anything about this,” Foster said.
Eckard said he thought the problem was solved.
“He (Mr. Foster) talked to me last year about this. I put public works on to it. I thought it was taken care of,” he said.
Eckard said there are many pieces of property in the city that have overgrown grass on them and the city does not do much to make property owners maintain them.
“I do wonder what category this would fall into?” Eckard said of the Weaver Road property.
The American Press spoke to someone who lives at 4181 Weaver Road and they said the property would be cut.
Watson said he is so tired of the situation that he is even considering moving.
“I’ve been living at this house 52 years. I am sick of this,” he said. “I had a neighbor ask me if I still see rats and snakes from that yard. I said, ‘Yeah.’ ”
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