by Dave Baumeister
County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – At their Tuesday, Oct. 22 meeting, the Minnehaha County Commission declared a property along Six Mile Road, north of Sioux Falls, a public nuisance.
According to Kevin Hoekman from the Planning Department, several attempts were made since last summer to contact owners, Danielle and Royce Ehlen at 1501 N. Six Mile Rd. about the nuisance conditions, but the county never received any response to their letters.
To compound matters, the owners were not present at the Oct. 22 meeting to state a case as to why a nuisance should not be declared.
However, seven of the Ehlen’s neighbors were there, many to speak in favor of enforcing the nuisance ordinance.
One neighbor said that he and others had spoken to the property owners on several occasions to offer help cleaning up the property, but the owner declined any assistance.
In the end, the commission voted unanimously to declare the property a public nuisance.
Going forward, county representatives will assess the work needed, find the proper sources to clean it, and then the cost of the clean-up will be passed on to the owners in the form of a special property tax assessment.
If that is not paid, then a tax lien may be placed on the property.
Two other public nuisance matters came up but were handled in different ways.
The first, at a residence belonging to Kyle Albers on 485th Ave. had been brought before the commission in August, when they decided to defer the matter until this meeting.
During that time, Hoekman reported, the property had been cleaned up to the point that it was no longer considered in violation of any nuisance regulations, and the matter was dropped.
Property owners Robert and Kimberly Redetzke were present to address how they were in the process of getting things cleaned up on their property at 25455 477th Ave.
On a motion from Commissioner Jean Bender, the county board agreed to defer action on the matter until the first meeting in December.
Commissioners will gather next for the canvas of the General Election vote on Friday, Nov. 8, at 9 a.m.
Their next regular meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the third-floor meeting room of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
