Action 9: Neighbors Fed Up With Vacant Home's Overgrown Yard

None — An east Charlotte family turned to Action 9 after they got fed up with living next door to a vacant home with an overgrown back yard.

Elijah Cannata lives next to the vacant house and its back yard, which has been taken over by fast-growing bamboo trees. Cannata said he's seen snakes and rats among the bamboo trees and feared they would end up in his yard.

Cannata said he had no luck locating the owner, who still pays a landscaper to mow the front yard every three months.

"We call the maintenance people (and) they don't even know who's paying them to come out here and maintain it," Cannata said.

He said he then complained to the city but got nowhere.

"The city has come out here, and they said this was bushes," Cannata said. "They said they don't have an ordinance on bushes."

He added: "They said they can't do anything about this, and I just think that's ridiculous."

Action 9 went to City Hall to talk to Community Development Chief Walter Abernethy, who pulled up records showing the owner was out of state. Abernethy said since the problem was so severe, the city would take action.

"We'll go in and cut the bamboo down and send him a bill," Abernethy said.

The Cannatas were relieved when the city cut the bamboo down.

Cannata's wife, Felicia, said she was happy but wants the fast-growing trees kept in check.

"I would just like to see it maintained, even if it's just to this standard," she said.

The city is considering code violations against the owner and could eventually demolish the house.

WSOC