Abandoned property ordinances keep town clean

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Ordinances for abandoned properties and minimum housing requirements are what gets the town of Carolina Beach involved in properties like 408 Harper Ave.

Assiatant town manager Ed Parvin said one of the biggest challenges they face when enforcing these codes is getting in touch with property owners. He said many in the beach community are investment properties or rentals. Parvin said the process is typically complaint driven.

“Most of the time it’s when a neighbor or adjacent property owner has witnessed an issue with a structure,” Parvin said.

He adds there is typically a spike in springtime when the grass begins to grow.

“We try to get a handle on that and send them out notices to make sure they have lawn services set up,” Parvin said.

He said you can always stop by town hall or visit the town’s website to make a complaint.

The town says since the start of 2016 about 192 complaints have been filed. Of those complaints about 75-80 percent have already been dealt with and the town says they have about a dozen cases actively ongoing.