Joint initiative to clear plots in Wilderness

GEORGE NEWS - A joint initiative between the George Municipality and Wilderness ratepayers has been launched to clear overgrown properties in ongoing efforts to reduce fire risk and maintain the seaside village’s aesthetic beauty.

George Municipality Director Community Services Walter Hendricks said officials from the fire department, environmental health and parks and recreation together with Community Services Portfolio Councillor Marlene Barnardt, who is also the ward councilor for Wilderness, met with the Wilderness Ratepayers AssocIation to discuss fire risks and related community matters.

“The clearing of overgrown private properties, especially on erven where the owners have not yet built and are absent, has been identified as a matter that can easily be addressed with joint cooperation between the municipality and residents,” said Mr Hendricks.

He said the municipality had an ongoing programme to manage overgrown properties, which could be enhanced by the assistance of residents.

“While officials identify overgrown properties on an ongoing basis as they move through areas in the course of their work, they cannot be everywhere and the help of citizens to identify and report overgrown properties are greatly appreciated.”

The Wilderness Ratepayers Association will assist with raising awareness and encouraging residents to report overgrown properties, including the physical address or location of the plot.

As standard procedure the municipality investigates and, if applicable, informs the property owner of its responsibility to clear the property and gives guidelines to what is expected to be cleared.

Information regarding the identification of alien vegetation is also included and the property owner reminded regarding its legal obligation to manage alien vegetation.

The municipality also cleared a property adjacent to the Wilderness Common to serve as an example of what a suitably cleared property should look like.

Owners are expected to clear within 14 days of notification, after which a municipal contractor will be sent to clear, and the cost of the clearing added to the property owner’s municipal bill.

In cases such as Wilderness, where an increased number of overgrown plots are expected to be identified, effort will be made to handle cases together to reduce overall costs.

Councillor Barnardt said the initiative was a good example of how municipal officials, municipal councillors and ratepayers could work together for the good of their town and community.