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Council to look at greenbelt policies

JANESVILLE — Upkeep of the city’s greenbelts was repeatedly mentioned as a problem at a Wednesday listening session, and City Council President Amy Loasching said she would bring the issue to the council.

City ordinance prohibits residents from making private improvements in parks or greenbelts or destroying natural vegetation. Policy allows them to mow 20 feet into the greenbelts to help control weeds.

The city maintains the greenbelts to act as storm water drainage.

Doris Suter, 1429 Shannon Drive, told how city workers recently dug up the garden she planted in the greenbelt behind her home.

She said the garden was there to beautify the area, but now that same patch is filled with weeds. Her tax dollars could have been better spent getting rid of the nearby weeds and garlic mustard, she said.

“Bulldozing my garden eliminated 15 years of beauty and weed control,” she said.

“We are required to cut the grass and control weeds,” she said. “I expect the same of the city.”

Suter asked for a long-range plan for her greenbelt, something she said she asked for several years ago.

Roger Swenson, 818 Suffolk, told of a new sidewalk the city built in a greenbelt near his home that eroded over just one winter. He said he called to warn a city engineer when it could have been fixed, but now the sidewalk is closed.

Work done there was a waste of money, he and another resident said.

George Taylor, 1015 Nantucket Drive, said he is fighting large anthills in the greenbelt near his home without city help.

“When we first moved here 21 years ago, the greenbelt was a lovely grass area. But now it’s an invasive weed bed. I don’t know if anything can be done there.”

Mike Williams, leisure services director, said the city responds to problems on a complaint basis as time and resources are available.

Noxious weeds are difficult to control, especially in areas that have been disturbed, he said. Herbicides are most effective, but the money often is not in the budget.

The city has more than 500 acres of greenbelts and about 31 miles of property lines with residences, he said.

“That’s a lot of area for us to maintain,” Williams said.

He asked residents to be patient.

Bob Suter, Doris’s husband, said his wife’s solution to the lack of maintenance in the greenbelt was a flower garden.

“It seems to me, we’re going to need more citizen help in maybe controlling this,” he said.

Maybe residents should be allowed to mow more than 20 feet into the greenbelts. Or maybe property owners could lease larger chunks of the greenbelt and agree to mow and spray them.

Obviously, there are different ways to manage greenbelts, and just because the city has done something for 20 years doesn’t mean it can’t be changed, City Manager Steve Sheiffer said.

“Ultimately, it’s about the citizens.”

“I think we should take a look at it as a council (and have) more citizen input,” Loasching said. “I know different areas are affected differently, and along the bike trail might be different than a wooded area.

“I think we should set a policy that works for everybody.”