Alpena Reminds Residents to Pick Up Their Yard
People in the community have expressed their concerns when it comes to junk accumulation in yards. Alpena city officials has addressed and acknowledged these concerns.
“Its certainly been a concern that people in the community have expressed and something that the city wants to address,” said Montiel Birmingham, Alpena safety building director. “Last year a blight ordinance was passed and we’re currently working through the ordinance and working with the community on different properties and areas of concern.”
The ordinance is implemented to ensure homeowners do not accumulate junk on their property. “The ordinance basically starts off with us approaching someone, a property owner, or a tenant, and have a conversation. That conversation is to acquire on whatever the situation is and understanding what their side of the story is,” said Birmingham. 
Home owners and tenants are encouraged to keep their premises junk free, if not, they might be penalized with a fine. “If it goes to a point where it’s not getting resolved then certainly a ticket would be an option,” said Birmingham. “I would say that’s our last option, and our last resort. We’re not in the business of writing tickets.”
Resources are always available to ensure people have items at their disposable to keep their properties clean. “Resources like the Alpena wide clean up day that what we just has was a great resource,” Birmingham said. “Before that event took place, our co–enforcement officer went around town and for properties that maybe needed some assistance he put a door hanger on their door and left that resource on that door.”
