Mayor Walker announces monthly Clean Sweep operations, outlines enforcement rules

Mayor Walker announced that York City will hold monthly Clean Sweep operations in predetermined neighborhoods on the fourth Wednesday of each month from April through October as part of his "6 in 26" initiative to address blight.

"As part of my 6 in 26 initiatives, clean, green, and proud, a city we're proud to call home," Mayor Walker said, introducing the program and turning details over to the city's property maintenance inspector supervisor.

Michelle Diggs, the property maintenance inspector supervisor, said the clean sweeps are intended to address common quality-of-life violations. "Grass and weeds must be cut and maintained below 10 inches at all times," Diggs said, and she listed additional property standards: properties must be kept free of trash, large items, and debris, address markers must be clearly displayed and readable from the public way, and vehicles stored on a property must have current inspection and registration, be fully operable, and be parked on an improved surface such as cement, macadam, or properly compacted stone or gravel.

Diggs described the notice and enforcement process. A door hanger will be posted 12 days before the scheduled clean sweep in an area as a courtesy reminder. "On the day of the sweep, property maintenance inspectors will survey the area for violations," she said, while public works crews patrol streets and alleyways to remove and dispose of trash accumulations. She emphasized that a clean sweep is not a city-sponsored house clean-out or bulk trash collection service and asked residents not to place large items out for collection during sweeps.

If a property is found in violation, Diggs said the property owner will receive a formal violation notice by mail listing the specific violations and a correction reinspection deadline. "If violations are not corrected by the specified reinspection date, a non traffic citation will be issued," she said, adding that additional non-traffic citations will be issued approximately every 30 days until full compliance is achieved.

The city framed the program as a shared effort to keep York City's neighborhoods clean and safe. For questions about the regulations, Diggs provided a contact number: Michelle Diggs, property maintenance inspector supervisor, at (717) 849-2347.