Several parcels of property in Atmore have been cleaned up recently in an effort to fulfill the rules of an ordinance in place to eliminate such nuisances. From top are properties recently cleaned or demolished, including 95 Jones St., 11th Avenue, Brown Street and 89 Jones St.

City officials have begun taking matters into their own hands when it comes to keeping Atmore clean.

At recent meetings of the Atmore City Council, members have discussed the ongoing problem of neglect by property owners inside the city limits.

Atmore Mayor Howard Shell said property owners are notified about the issues of brush growth and dilapidated houses time and time again.

“This is an ongoing problem,” Shell said. “We are constantly addressing and attempting to solve the problem by getting the owners to either repair or tear down the buildings and keeping the grass and weeds cut back. It is an ongoing problem to urge property owners to keep their property up. “

City officials believe run down buildings and tall weeds are indications of neglect and property owners in the city are showing their lack of concern and obligation to the community by ignoring the problem. Other residents, and even strangers driving through town, are often the ones who notice these eyesores the most.

One topic of discussion in the matter included the unsanitary and unsafe nature of the overgrown and neglected areas around the city.

Not only do these places attract snakes, rats and other varmints, they look bad, not only to local residents, but to those who happen to drive through Atmore. Those facts prompted the passage of a resolution to help curb such eyesores in the city.

Chris Black, building inspector/code enforcement for the City of Atmore, said that the first step to curtail the problem is to contact the property owner.

“We send a notice to the property owner giving them 21 days to either tear it down or clean it up,” Black said. “That seems like enough time to get the situation up to code, but if more time is needed, we’re willing to work with the owners. We usually get good response from the owners and the problem is taken care of, but there are always problems with some of them. An owner may live somewhere else or for any number of reasons can’t be contacted.”

Council members and city officials are willing to work with the homeowners and most of the time they comply, Black said.

Property owners who do not comply or fail to show a reason why they don’t comply will have their property cleaned up at the owner’s expense. The cost of the cleanup will be added to the cost of the taxes on the property, Shell said.