Grass Cutting Complaints Leads To Ordinance Review

FENWICK ISLAND – Officials in Fenwick Island have agreed to monitor grass cutting operations in the municipality following complaints from a town resident.

In a September town council meeting, resident Ray Fager approached officials to complain about a noise violation involving commercial grass cutting operations.

According to Fager, a grass cutting business would arrive after 8 p.m. on Sundays with large equipment and trailers to mow a neighboring lawn. He said the noise associated with the lawn mowers, weed wackers and blowers were in violation with the town’s ordinance prohibiting such activities between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

He requested the town consider consolidating such residential activities with an ordinance that outlines the hours of operation for construction. In doing so, residential activities such as grass cutting, power cleaning, personal home repairs and more would be prohibited between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., on holidays and on Sundays.

While the police department reported no residents complaining of grass cutting operations, the council requested the town’s charter and ordinance committee review the ordinance.

Last Friday, the committee met to determine what action, if any, was needed to address the issue.

Bill Weistling, chair of the committee, argued the ordinance should not be changed for one complaint.

“If it was every night at 8 o’clock I would sympathize,” he said.

Committee member and Councilman Bernie Merritt said the grass cutting businesses could be notified in the future.

“It would be nice if you call the company next time … instead of an ordinance change for one incident,” he said.

Committee member and Councilwoman Vicki Carmean, however, advocated for some change to the ordinance.

“I think our resident made a point that it’s not just the lawn mower … it’s the fact that they come in with heavier equipment, the trucks, the chains,” she said. “Honestly I guess I’m in the minority, but I’m going to back him. I think we need to curtail some of that.”

Carmean said certain homeowner associations in the area restrict lawn mowing on Sundays and suggested the town could amend the ordinance to prohibit such activities earlier in the evening or on the weekends.

“I think there should be some movement,” she said.

Weistling, however, said many individuals who work rely on the evenings and weekends to cut their grass.

“You do it once a week and it’s about a half-hour process,” he said. “I think we can deal with that.”

Committee member and Councilman Roy Williams said he understood Fager’s arguments, but took issue with the fact that no other residents have complained about the noise.

“I would hate to get involved in changing this stuff when nobody is complaining,” he said. “If nobody cares, does it make that much difference?”

Building Official Pat Schuchman said she could inform the grass cutting companies of the town’s noise ordinance when they apply for business licenses in December.

The committee agreed to monitor the situation in the meantime.

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.