Editor, Ceres Courier,

I do not believe adopting an ordinance to collect fines regarding garbage in the wrong container should be considered for residential customers. From the newspaper articles I gather this is not a requirement of the new regulations. It appears Ceres wants to do this so they can collect fines to pay for disposal of illegal dumping. Further information in the local papers discloses most of these changes are directed at commercial customers, fast foods and restaurants. 

Requiring Toters to be out of sight is a good thing but with no enforcement it is just another change in the City Codes that will not be enforced.

I sent two photos of a residence with examples of both Toters and junk cars in the driveway and on the side yard landscaped area – first reported at least eight months ago. Hiring additional Code Enforcement personnel and paying them more money will not accomplish anything without aggressive enforcement if the property owner will not comply after a couple of visits.

What does it take to roll the can behind the property line and be in compliance?

In the photo of the junker on the lawn a nearby property owner told me that Code Enforcement visited and appears to have told the property owner to cover it with a tarp. It also needs to be registered or an non-op on file which I doubt there is either. Why was it allowed to be parked in the side yard landscape area in violation of Title 18? There is not much landscaping present but if one lets their yard go to dirt can they line up junker cars instead of growing grass? I notice a grapefruit tree next to it and water zone valves behind it and some shabby grass in the area.

We do not need to change our ordinances if we do not enforce the ones we already have. Linda (Ryno) was right; the city spent a long time updating the code. Why make any more updates when there will be no enforcement?

How many vendors selling fruit and veggies, ice cones and various other items on the street corner have been cited for no business license etc.? None. If the city doesn’t enforce those rules, you can’t fine people for garbage in the wrong can, so don’t make changes you can’t or won’t enforce. You cannot have selected enforcement; it has to be equal to everyone!

John Warren,

Ceres

LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.