Towering grass in NE Oklahoma City has neighbor upset
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Tall grass in northeast Oklahoma City has one man who lives near it frustrated. He said he's spent several months trying to get someone to cut it, but it's only continued to grow.
The grass almost reaches the top of a stop sign at the intersection of NE 2nd Street and Lindsay Avenue. Johnny Hishaw said something has to get done about it, or someone is going to get hurt.
"It's dangerous," Hishaw said. "I done seen so many cars float that stop sign and coming north and south, there's going to be a wreck out here pretty soon."
That's only part of his worries, though.
"It's just the things crawling out of the weeds, you know? It's just kind of scary, you know?" he said. "So, I done seen deer. I done seen a raccoon, fox and everything else that would be here. But the main thing is my grandkids and other children that play."
He's lived in that area for 50 years and owns some rental houses nearby.
"This is the first time that I ever saw this grass get this tall," he said.
The past 3 months, he's lobbied property owners and the city, but to no avail.
"We're going to try to get something done about it. I hope and pray that we can," he said.
We reached out to the city's action center, and they sent us a statement that can be read in full below.
"The City has cited the property owner multiple times for high grass and weeds since June 18. We hired a contractor to cut the grass on September 8. The city will put a lien on the property until reimbursement is made." - City of Oklahoma City Action Center
We're told the contractor is working to get the grass cut down, but has been backed up. The city's action center has opened nearly 11,000 high-grass and weed cases since May 1. They tell KFOR they've also opened more cases in that area after we brought it to their attention. Hishaw hopes traffic moves slowly and safely in the area for the time being without a clear line of sight.