Foothills property being sent to abatement

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Foothills residents were up in arms Monday morning, saying one neighbor has a bunch of junk in their yard.

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors said they've opened three cases against the property owner since 2021.

On Monday morning, they took another step forward in tackling the issue. 

The property that was brought before the board of supervisors at Monday morning’s meeting is now being sent to the county attorney’s office for abatement.

Foothills residents spoke out against a neighbor on 43rd Street near Foothills Boulevard.

“It’s the welding, it’s the smell, it’s the dumping of oil and who knows what from these cars, it’s the open fires, we’ve called the fire department, we’ve called CPS, we’ve called everybody. But the real concern is the garbage and the junk that is in this place, drive by sometime,” said Joan Borge.

One neighbor even went to collect signatures in hopes of bringing change.

“It’s been going on now for three to four years or more, but it’s come to a head, like I said 44 neighbors signed this petition,” said Joan Borge.

Darren Simmons, the supervisor for the foothills area, said the board did not want to have to do this, but they had no choice at this point.

“They’ve been cited numerous times, they’ve been called into the hearing officers, they don’t show up for the hearings, and it just finally got to the point where today the Board of Supervisors we voted to send it to abatement which is to the county attorney’s office for criminal charges,” said Darren Simmons.

It's all in the hopes that the property owners clean up their yard.