MASON CITY – An anonymous complaint to city hall about a “gorgeous” hedge could be seen as a test of how Mason City officials handle citizens’ issues.
NorthIowaToday.com was alerted to an issue over a large hedge located near the corner of Winnebago Way and Lakeview Drive in Mason City. A person called city hall to complain about the hedge, which is approximately 30 yards long and 7 feet high, telling city officials that the hedge was a safety issue and blocked the view of motorists trying to turn left or right from Lakeview Drive onto Winnebago Way.
Second Ward Councilperson Travis Hickey and other city staff came out to the scene early last week to see for themselves. Hickey told NorthIowaToday.com that the hedge could be a safety issue and is technically in violation of city code.
After checking the hedge and the intersection, city officials drew a white line in the grass showing the property owner, who wished to remain anonymous, what portion of the hedge has to be “cut back” in order to comply with city code. The property owner did tell NorthIowaToday.com that she has lived at the residence for 19 years and the hedge has been there the whole time and was never a problem until this complaint was filed. It was said that the hedge has been there about 30 years, or longer. The property owner, bowing to the wishes of city staff, called Kevin Hardy, owner of Cutting Edge Tree Services, to come out and cut the hedge down, roughly four feet in height, where city officials indicated.
Hardy, an arborist, thought it would be a shame to cut the hedge. He recommended the property owner get a “second opinion” about the hedge, and other city officals were notified and asked to take a look.
An unofficial look at the hedge was held last Thursday afternoon by more city officials. City council members Max Weaver, Don Nelson and Jeff Marsters were there checking the hedge and how it may affect the intersection. Hardy was there too, offering his opinion, as well as the property owner. Pretty soon City Administrator Brent Trout arrived. Soon after that, Hickey came out to the scene for another look.
The property owner said she just wants to keep the hedge as it is. “It keeps the headlights out of my living room, and it’s a sound barrier,” she said.
Weaver, Nelson and Marsters all agreed that by the time a motorist “slows down” for the yield sign and reaches the intersection, the hedge is well behind the motorists’ view and poses no obstacle to viewing on-coming traffic. Nelson said “It’s ludicrous for the city to get involved in this. If we looked at every corner in town, we’d find something. This is not a safety issue, at all.”
Weaver pointed out that yield sign at the same intersection, is “totally obstructed from view. Where’s the complaint there?”
Everyone seemed to agree that it would be a shame to cut the hedge. Trout said “we will see what can be done, what the options are” for dealing with the issue. While at the scene, Hickey and Trout seemed to think that there wasn’t much that could be done to help the property owner, due to the city code, but both seemed willing to look for ways around cutting the hedge.
For now, the property owner will wait and see how the city decides to handle her situation. The rest of us will be watching as well.
Watch video at the scene:
httpv://youtu.be/dcQcwgfJ5lk
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