Anger over fine for long grass

By Lia Bichel
A BERWICK man is demanding a refund from the City of Casey over a fine he paid six months ago.
Kemal Miskim said he received a notice to comply to cut the grass on his vacant Boynton Place lot on 24 March and was given 14 days to do so.
The 63-year-old said he hired someone to cut it and despite the grass being cut on 31 March, he received an infringement notice from Casey Council for $328.
Mr Miskim said he paid the money to prevent any future infringement notices, but now he wants the Casey Council to reimburse him.
“I paid the money but I want it back because I did the right thing,” Mr Miskim said.
City of Casey acting manager of community safety Jem Belcher agreed that Mr Miskim cut the grass in the timeframe allocated in accordance with the notice to comply, but said he was fined because he breached local laws.
“This was not the first time the resident had allowed grass, weed etc. to exceed 30cm in height on this property and he was thus fined for breaching the local law by allowing his property to become unsightly and/or dangerous or detrimental to the general amenity of the area,” Mr Belcher said.
The City of Casey Community Local Law 2/2010 states that it is an offence to allow grass and weeds to exceed 30cm in height.
“If an offence of this nature is observed and it’s a first such offence, a warning is issued with a notice to comply,” Mr Belcher said.
“The owner is allowed time to comply with the direction without a fine for a first offence only.
“The responsibility is upon the property owner to ensure that their land is not unsightly and/or dangerous or detrimental to the general amenity of the area.”