Deschutes eyes $2,000 fine for not pulling weeds
A public hearing to hear resident comments about a proposed Deschutes County weed ordinance has been pushed back two weeks, to Wednesday, Feb. 5.
The county cited scheduling conflicts for the delay from Wednesday’s planned hearing.
The public is welcome to attend and speak at the public hearing, or submit written comments before and/or during the hearing.
The hearing will take place at the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners’ Business Meeting at 10 a.m. in the Deschutes Services Building-Barnes Room, first floor, at 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend.
The new weed ordinance would give the county’s weed inspector enforcement tools to prevent the growth of noxious weeds, and establish a penalty fee of $2,000 for a landowner’s failure to eradicate noxious weeds on their land.
An emergency clause is proposed for the new ordinance in order to be proactive prior to weed growth season. A new ordinance usually has a waiting period of 90 days to go into effect.
Waiting the traditional period of time for the weed ordinance to take effect would be problematic and less proactive for the weed-growing season, officials said.
Without the emergency clause, the ordinance would take effect in late May, after weed season begins. Initiating the new ordinance earlier will help in the early eradication of weeds and cost less than later eradication, when weeds in Deschutes County are more widespread.
To read the proposed Deschutes County Weed Ordinance prior to the hearing, please visit www.deschutes.org/weeds and look for the document under “The Law.”
Testimony cannot be submitted by phone. To submit written comments, or for more information about the hearing, please send email to Ed.Keith@co.deschutes.or.us or call (541) 322-7117.
