Illegal dumping has turned former mobile home park into eye sore on Farr Road
Residents concerned about idled construction equipment along the south end of Farr Road now face another setback in attempts to clean up their neighborhood.
A Facebook reader wanted to see the construction equipment up close when he stumbled across the former mobile home park which was cleared across the street. Illegal dumpers have turned the property into what may be one of the largest solid waste sites in the city when you consider it covers 28.4 acres, a city official said.
Property at 988 Farr Road is littered with bags of household waste, old tires, roofing, furniture, construction material and inert yard waste scattered across the lot. “We are working on the problem,” said Brandt Poole, an inspector from the city’s Inspections & Code Enforcement Department.
The property was cleared of all the mobile homes but access apparently was left open along the frontage on Farr Road. “I would advise anybody that owns a vacant lot anywhere, make sure you block it off so nobody can get in there and dump because they will certainly do it,” Poole said.
The owner of the property lives in California. Under the city’s policy on solid waste, Poole said the owner was mailed a certified letter but the city received no response. After 10 days, the process continues for officials to take action and clean up the property.
“Right now, we’re having some contractors to take a look at it to figure out how much it’s going to cost to remove that solid waste,” he said.
The work is too big for city crews. “One of the very reasons we had to bid it out is because of how big the property is,” Poole said. “On top of that, there are probably several dump truck loads on that property.”
Public money will be used to clear the property of all the waste. However, the owner will have to repay the city if there are any plans for the future used of the property. “Unfortunately, it is our money,” Poole said.
There is growing interest in south Columbus after a new Walmart, the opening of a $56 million Spencer High School and construction under way on the Follow Me walking trail and city streetscapes projects in the area. With very few sites available, the property could possibly play a role in more development with the new Cusseta Road and Old Cusseta Road interchange planned from Interstate 185.
Illegal dumping may be a bigger problem in some parts of the city than officials first thought. If you fill 28 acres of vacant property with trash, it won’t be cheap to restore the land for any use. Illegal dumping must be stopped at all costs. Anyone who observes any suspicious activity on vacant property should call 911 to report it.
If you’ve seen something that needs attention, give me a call at 706-571-8576.
This story was originally published September 24, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Illegal dumping has turned former mobile home park into eye sore on Farr Road."