SMYRNA, Tenn. -
Residents in one Smyrna neighborhood say a home that has been abandoned for more than a year has become an eyesore.
The home, located on Crocker Court, is visibly run-down and overgrown.
"It is a mess as you can see. It has been growing for several months," next door neighbor Jim Marsteiner said. "This is what I look at everyday and it is getting worse."
Resident Krissi Bice added, "This is just an eyesore. I'm five feet, six inches tall and if I stood back there, that grass would be taller than me."
Both Marsteiner and Bice said they want the town of Smyrna to do something about the overgrown yard.
"We are going as fast as the legal wheels will allow us to go," said Steve Smith, who is the building official for the town.
Smith reported the town has attempted to notify the property owner by certified mail; however the letter was not signed for.
"If they don't sign for it, we have to wait for the post office to make three attempts which can take about two weeks or more," he explained.
Smith also added that he understands nearby neighbors frustrations.
"We know that they are thinking, ‘Oh, they are just not doing anything,' but that is totally not the case," he said.
After the city fulfills the notification requirements, they will send a crew to cut the grass and will also place a lien on the property to recover their cost.
Officials said each time the town mows the grass on private property, the property owner is charged a $250 service fee, in addition to the $100 cost of mowing the yard.
