Comments on: Lack of Enforcement of Langlade County Zoning and Junk Ordinances

By: Albus

Albus — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:06:30 +0000

I’d be willing to develop and market a line of foam-rubber wind chimes for folks who like the idea of wind chimes but can’t stand the sound….

By: Sherry

Sherry — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:57:38 +0000

I have quite a few wind chimes inside & outside my city home, oh well.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:28:55 +0000

Simplemind-Is there seriously a ban on wind chimes in the city? I am breaking some rule if there really is.

By: John Jameson

John Jameson — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:22:52 +0000

Fed Up, I too must be deaf, for I have been sitting with my ear against this blog for an hour and I still hear nothing. I think I will thump the stump even harder for awhile. Let me know when you can hear it.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:35:54 +0000

Smackwater, I would love to agree with you but according to your reasoning, I am deaf. “No heroes were born of this blog, so no matter how hard you thump that stump, or beat your chest, the only ears that hear your noise are deaf.”

By: Smackwater

Smackwater — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:14:26 +0000

At the risk of sounding like someone thinking logically let me say that it sounds to me that what we have here is another political problem. The problem is that our elected officials are not doing what they were elected to do. The solution to this problem is not the once-every-four-year-political-activists that vote the incumbents in because they are incumbents. The solution would be people that care, people that are not afraid to get involved, people that are proud enough to use their own names, people that will speak where they can be heard. No heroes were born of this blog, so no matter how hard you thump that stump, or beat your chest, the only ears that hear your noise are deaf.
Get involved, if the possible results don’t scare you. Talk to real people, your neighbors, your friends, your politicians, your police. Let them know that you are unhappy and will not be silent until you are happy. Find a newspaper that cares about this community and understands what hones journalism is, and invite them to Antigo. If you really care about this community then do something about it.
This has been a public service message brought to you by Smackwater in the hope that it may inspire you do something worthwhile.

By: Suzy-Q

Suzy-Q — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:05:31 +0000

I moved here to enjoy the beauty of this countryside and my surroundings. Allowing people to keep and add to their junk collection definitely affects others – by taking away from their view – and by affecting their property value. I don’t care how nice of a house or property you have – people will think twice before moving next to a junk heap. I don’t have the money to put up a lot of trees or fencing to block my view of old busses, campers, cars, piles of tires, a step van, etc. – and why should I have to? There is nothing physically wrong with these people – they are just lazy and don’t care. Because of the many animals they have on a small amount of land, and the conditions they are forced to live in, I have been concerned about rats and such and called the Health Dept – but was told they don’t get involved unless someone becomes ill. If I would have known about the lack of enforcement, I never would have moved here, and as long as it took me to find a good job, I’m not about to give that up and relocate again – why should I even have to consider that?? Why doesn’t the County do its job? If they did crack down, maybe people would think twice about keeping a “junkyard”.

By: Simplemind

Simplemind — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:19:51 +0000

I know sometimes I sound like an idiot on here.. LOL.. but maybe there could be more block grants set up. And maybe we could do all do some voluteer work to help out our neightborhood. Instead of b*tching about the neighbor who has a junked washer, dryer, or old appliances laying in someone’s back yard. Why not volunteeer to haul it away?

I didn’t mean to sound cocky and say that its your property you can do whatever you want with it.. But Antigo had some stupid proposals for ordinances in the last 25 to 30 years. Like banning birdfeeders (neighbors didn’t like bird poop), banning satellite dishes (of course it was Star Cablevision that wanted it to pass but Satellite dishes at that time were 12 to 14 feet round), banning wind chimes, and at one time there was a discussion about not allowing yard lights to be over 60 watts. I guess someone couldn’t see the stars at night.. The problem is how do you enforce petty issues?

By: Albus

Albus — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:05:38 +0000

“Simplemind” brings up an important point — money could be a factor. Another factor in such issues is simple ability — physical handicap or mental limitations may play a role. Someone in persistent depression is not going to be a neat-freak, and will not be cooperative if approached. Some folks deserve a visit from Social Services more than from the Zoning Office.

A quick check on Google for “neighborhood cleanup campaign” shows that most community intervention efforts for cleanups are inspired by citizens who had local elected officials with a sense of service. An organized campaign, sanctioned and run by local government, seems to be much more effective than one or two citizens complaining about a troubled neighbor. Maybe it’s time to hold the elected officials’ feet to the fire.

Too bad we don’t have an activist newspaper with the guts to stoke up the flames….

By: Simplemind

Simplemind — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:46:57 +0000

Its a free country, you should be able to do whatever the hell you want on your property. As long as it is not endangering others or affecting other people’s lives. Leaking anti-freeze, or oil in ground water from a junked car, a pile of garbage infested with rats, Fridges or freezers laying out in the open where kids can get trapped should require action. If there are 100 animals in a house and you can’t open your windows in the summer because of the smell.. Then you have a reason to complain..

You have to take into consideration and accept that Antigo is a Welfare town. You can’t force someone to pay $5 grand to fix up a house. Most people do not have the funds to do it especially in this economy. You can add a clean up bill to city taxes.. It might be years before those taxes get paid.. The city has enough foreclosures and vacant homes already to deal with.