Defining a nuisance
By Daniel Arens
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” the old adage goes.
Now, however, a major potential change in city policy hinges on how true that statement is in practice as well as theory.
Over the last few months, the Hazen City Commission has been debating a change in city ordinance that would create a more efficient and thorough process of addressing junk vehicles in people’s yards. The commissioners have discussed various definitions of what would be included in the ordinance and how enforcement would be needed to carry a better process forward.
During a meeting July 22, Hazen resident Archie Rosenow spoke with the commission about this plan. He argued the definition of “junk” was subjective, unique to each individual, and therefore the city had no right to regulate what a person uses his or her property for.
Rosenow himself has old and antique cars sitting out on his property. His primary hobby involves collecting them and refurbishing them, something he said can take years to do, and during that time he keeps them parked in his yard.
“Why is that wrong?” Rosenow said of people parking vehicles in their yards and keeping them there. “Why is that a nuisance?”
