I am a MEAN neighbor

I had quite a dilemma this week.

As you may know, I live in a townhome, so it's pretty close quarters with all the neighbors. We've been here 5 years and have had almost no problems with our neighbors. Last year, a new family moved in next door (what was formerly the model home for the neighborhood, so it was vacant for 4 years). They are a nice couple, who just had a new baby this year.

The big problem is - they do not take care of the exterior of their home. Last year, they would let the lawn go weeks between mowings. They didn't even buy a mower until they had been here 2 months! Everyone in the neighborhood offered the use of their mowers, but honestly, they just didn't care to mow more than once a month.


Same thing in the winter - snow removal just didn't happen. The sidewalks in front of their house were dangerous and icy all season!

Now, we're back to spring, and they have mowed ONCE. The grass is now 11-inches high in the yard and over 2 FEET in the rear of the yard. It looks horrible and is now breeding all sorts of bugs (and I shudder to think of mice and *gulp* SNAKES). I can't leave the kids play anywhere near this grass - it's awful!

Our very nice preteen neighbor offered to cut their grass for a reasonable price, but he was turned down twice. The grass remains way too high.

Yesterday, I made the decision to go to the Township about it. Honestly, I am worried about what is crawling around in this grass! I figured the Township would monitor the situation and *maybe* issue a warning.


Well, yesterday afternoon (as I was hanging my laundry) the enforcement officer came to measure the grass and told me the township would be cutting the grass and issuing a fine to my neighbors. I feel fairly guilty about this - I don't dislike my neighbors, but I did feel something needed to be done.

So I am officially the MEAN neighbor. But I am hoping the township comes to cut this grass BEFORE Maddie's birthday party on Sunday!