An Opp resident on Monday night complained to the city council about a vacant lot that has been abated numerous times.

Jane Jowers said that the lot is next door to her home.

“It’s an ongoing situation,” she said.

Jowers said that the city had torn down the old home that was there.

“The son does not cut grass,” she said. “The hedges are growing around a tree and there are mosquitoes, bugs and roaches.”

Jowers said that she has to have her property sprayed because of the bugs and roaches.

“We need to have it abated again,” she said. “The son doesn’t live here, and the nephew hasn’t cut it in over a year.”

Jowers said the city cuts along the edge.

She called it a nuisance.

Jowers said she couldn’t go in her backyard due to mosquitoes.

She said in the past the city has come out and cleaned up the property and charged it to the owner’s taxes.

“He keeps up his property taxes,” she said.

Mayor Becky Bracke said city officials have sent the property owner a letter and he has 14 days to respond or ask for a hearing.

Bracke said he has until May 8 to respond.

The council will have to pass a resolution for abatement at its May 15 meeting.

At its June meeting, the city would have to decide whether to use city labor or hire someone to cleanup the property.

“Last time, the city did it,” Jowers said.

Bracke said that overgrown lots are really a problem everywhere, not just Opp.

“We need everyone in Opp to do their part,” she said.