Regular Meeting

Chair Abbey Brands opened the meeting at 3:03 p.m.

The first order of business is to approve the minutes from the June 2025 meeting.

A motion was announced, a second given, and the minutes were approved.

This board consists of five members: Two appointed by the Mayor, two by the City-County Council, and the chair Abbey Brands.

Members include Camille Blunt and Katherin Chi, both by mayoral appointment, and Belinda Drake and Kate Warpool by the Council.

There are two action items on the agenda for today, and the first is Resolution # 2025-C10-019 regarding high weeds and grass liens presented by lien analyst Karly Klinefelter.

Although high grass and weeds may seem rather benign, they are a serious safety and health concern in addition to being an eyesore.

Driver’s visibility, pose fire hazards, and attract rodents, bugs, and snakes are a few problems that can arise if grass is higher than 8 inches.

If a property owner does not comply with the local ordinances, the city can issue a notice to cut the grass. If ignored, then the city comes in to do so, and the cost is placed as a lien on the property owner.

The owner cannot sell or refinance the property until this lien is paid in full.

If you would like to file a report on high grass and weeds on private property, you can do so with the City of Indianapolis, you can call the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) at (317) 327-4622.

You may also use the online reporting tool to make a report at https://Indy.gov

A short discussion of Resolution 2025-C10-019 regarding certification of high weeds and grass liens began. Lien analyst Klinefelter shares that there are currently 223 properties with grass and weed nuisances that qualify for property liens for non-compliance.

Mowing at these 223 properties completed by the city amount to a total cost of $85,484, and are at least 30 days past due.

A vote is taken to allow the certification of these liens, and Resolution 2025-C10-019 passes unanimously.

Next item on the agenda is Resolution number 2025-C10-020 regarding the certification of trash liens. Ms. Klinefelter shares that there are 45 nuisance trash violations as of today that the city has cleaned up for a total of $24,199.54.

The liens being requested are for properties whose owners have been repeatedly notified of the violations, and the owners have failed to comply. Each is over 30 days past due.

Resolution number 2025-C10-020 requesting the certification of trash liens is voted on, and passes unanimously.

Board member Belinda Drake asks how the neighborhood cleanups were going across the city. Chair Brands responded that there have been 2 so far, and the vendor has collected 23 tons of trash this year.

Chair asks for any discussion on old business, and attorney Sarah Dillinger brought up an appeal regarding flood proofed property that was heard by the board previously. She read the standard for appeal to the board.

Brands addressed improvements made to the property since 1971.

A brief discussion of the flood issues on the property in question as part of case # FLD-2400-287 took place. Chair adds that there were questions about if the load-bearing walls on the property were flood proof or not. If so, could that create a path forward for the property owner.

Owner reached out to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and was told that the load-bearing flood proof walls do offer a viable path forward.

Property owner wants to avoid the hardship caused to bring property into compliance. Approval will cause this hardship.

Chair addresses a vote to affirm the finding of the flood plain administrator after it was determined there would be no exceptional hardship on the property owner to move forward.

The meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m. This concludes today’s coverage of the Board of Business and Neighborhood Services. Check it out at https://documenters.org

Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any questions on this meeting or these posts to @indydocumenters.bsky.social or email us at documenters@mirrorindy.org

The next meeting of the Board of Business and Neighborhood Services will be at 3:00 p.m. on August 28th, 2025. The main focus of the meeting will be the 2026 budget items, and how to move forward.

Thank you for joining me today!