Clean up ... or else

Over the last two summers, the Prince William County Neighborhood Services Division has done an admirable job cleaning up the results of the foreclosure crisis that rocked many neighborhoods in the county.

But thanks to a recent rash of complaints from Dale City residents, their work is not done.

Prince William County Supervisor John D. Jenkins, D-Neabsco, recently requested the department “sweep” areas from Birchdale Avenue to Forestdale Avenue for potential property code violations.

In a letter addressed “Dale City Neighbor,” the department praises the amenities of these neighborhoods before letting residents know that they have received “a considerable number of complaints about the appearance of some of the homes in parts of Dale City.”

In particular, graffiti has been an issue in the Birchdale and Forestdale areas, said Jenkins.

The letter goes on to enumerate other issues like tall weeds/grass and inoperable vehicles and who to call for those with questions.

Within 30 days, property code enforcement inspectors will begin their investigations.

Those who are in violation will be warned with a tag and given approximately two weeks to remedy the situation.

If the situation isn’t remedied in the given time frame, they will be issued a violation, the punishment for which widely varies according to division chief Michelle Casciato.

Casciato said supervisors often ask for these periodic cleanups. Last fall, the county performed a sweep in the Ridgedale area for similar reasons and has been doing them twice a year for the past three years in various parts of Dale City, said Jenkins.

A report detailing these cases was presented to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The report states that 95 percent of these types of cases are resolved through compliance.

From fiscal year 2007 to 2009, the county saw a huge spike in weeds/tall grass violations.

Last year, the division made temporary hires to address this situation, primarily caused by the foreclosure crisis.

This summer, though, the problem hasn’t been as severe, in part, because banks and lenders have been better prepared to maintain vacant properties, said Casciato.

Despite the recent complaints, Jenkins commended the division’s work and said Dale City, in general, is “100 percent better than it was last year.”

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.