KCCI.com
City Inspector Uses Ruler To Check Grass Length

POSTED: 10:55 am CDT June 5, 2008
UPDATED: 11:12 am CDT June 5, 2008


HAMPTON, Iowa -- City leaders in Hampton are taking a stand against the green, green grass of home.  On some properties - it's too high.

The city has sent notices to 56 property owners, saying the grass violates the city's nuisance ordinance by exceeding 6 inches.

The ordinance has been on the books since 2003, but the city hasn't ticketed and fined residents.

Public Works Director Doug Tarr said that's about to change.

He said property owners have five days after receiving a notice to mow the grass before the city sends in a contractor. If that happens, the city will bill the property owner. If the owner doesn't pay, the bill will be added to the property tax bill.

Tarr said the average bill will be around $30. The city also can issues fines of $150 for a first offense.
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Red Pride-Clean Sweep: Public forum stresses curb appeal, civic pride
By JOHN JENNINGS NDN Staff Writer
Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:41 PM CDT

Curbside appeal means increasing a community's respect and pride. Visitors to Newton are always judging us, whether we know it or not, and first impressions are very important. Those are some of the ideas of Gerry Schnepf, executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, the keynote speaker at the Red Pride-Clean Sweep public forum Tuesday night, attended by approximately 60 citizens concerned with improving the city's appearance.

Schnepf explained the “Broken Window” theory of community decay.

If a window in a building gets broken and it is not repaired rather quickly, it sends the message that the rest of the windows are free to break,Schnepf said.

The decline of the building spreads to the rest of the neighborhood, and creates an atmosphere of disrespect and lack of pride.

Broken Windows... more

Red Pride Clean Sweep: Civic groups plan forum to talk curb appeal
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008 11:06 AM CDT
Special to Daily News

Concerned civic groups in Newton are collaborating to find ways to enhance our community's curb appeal.

A citizen's voice forum on the 'Red Pride-Clean Sweep' program will take place Tuesday 6 p.m. at the Newton Senior High School Center for the Performing Arts.

The Newton Board of Realtors and The Newton Housing and Development Corporation conducted a recent survey of new families who moved to Newton in the past year to understand their impressions.

The survey results mentioned the friendliness of people in Newton, education and a small town feel with accessible amenities.

Items such as cleanliness, junk or illegally parked vehicles, general upkeep and seasonal displays were issues that came up and affected their decisions on where to locate.
This survey, and Newton's efforts to attract new jobs, em... more

Red Pride Officials talk community’s 'curb appeal’
By JOHN JENNINGS/NDN Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, May 2, 2008 11:05 AM CDT

Renew Newton has been instrumental in improving the looks of this community for the past few years. The volunteer group has painted bridges, planted flowers, hired an artist to paint murals on several empty walls around town and spruced up the courthouse square.

The group met with city officials Thursday evening, with the hope of expanding Newton High School's Red Pride to include pride in community and improve the city's appearance, involving not only city government but an empowered citizenry.

Marty Stratton, a member of Renew Newton, said the groups goals are not to create another organization to fight blight in town.

'Our focus is to generate interest and to help the police department,' Stratton said. 'We are hoping to organize groups already in existence, to nudge those who need help and help those who can't d... more