It’s fall cleanup time, and the busiest month of the year for tourism in Eureka Springs. It’s that time of year to catch up on general property maintenance –cleaning up yards and repairing porches, stairs, gutters, decking and exteriors of buildings before winter sets in.
Jacob Coburn, who heads up code enforcement for the Eureka Springs Building and Safety Department, is reminding property owners and occupants in the city that they are required to address unsightly, unsanitary and dangerous conditions on their property or properties.
Property owners are required to cut weeds and grass, and remove garbage and other unsanitary and unsightly articles. Any potential fire hazards should be removed. Clean out birdbaths, old plant pots or anything else that holds water and provides breeding grounds for insects.
The regulations fall under the City of Eureka Springs Municipal Code and the State of Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, as well as the International Property Maintenance Code, that require the owners or occupants to maintain the exterior conditions of their properties in a clean and sanitary manner. This applies to accessory structures including detached garages, sheds, fences and retaining walls, including the building’s exterior walls which are to be maintained in structurally sound and in good repair.
“Inoperable motor vehicles are a big one I am running into,” Coburn said. “No inoperative or unlicensed motorcycles, boats, cars and recreational vehicles shall be parked, kept or stored on the property.”
It is required by law to follow these codes, but Coburn said another good reason is that being a town dependent on tourism, good maintenance is important for the impression given to visitors.
Coburn has been working to contact absentee landowners to let them know they have a responsibility to maintain their buildings and yards. If they fail to do so, the city can step in.
“This is something I’d like to avoid at all costs, encouraging property maintenance and code compliance benefits our entire city,” Coburn said. “Not only does it raise the property values around town and make for a safer city, but it demonstrates a strong sense of community and pride we have for this beautiful area we live in.”
One of my constituents, one who just recently moved to Eureka, mentioned to me that there’s a huge amount of trash along certain streets in town. I’m going to suggest that citizen groups in each neighborhood should take up the task of gathering the litter in their neighborhoods.