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KCMO houses cited for out-of-control weeds

Owner given 60 days to clean up mess
KCMO houses cited for out-of-control weeds
Posted at 7:23 PM, Sep 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-12 21:05:23-04

It looks like a small piece of the Amazon jungle right in the middle of the metro.

If you happen to drive down Beacon Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, near the Grandview line, you can't miss it.

One home is just about buried in weeds. The one across the street has its own jungle in both the front and back yard.

Neighbors told the 41 Action News Investigators it's the result of years of neglect.

"I feel bad for the guy," said next door neighbor Tabitha Adams. "If he needs help, we want to help him. But at the same time, we need help as homeowners. We want to take care of our neighborhood." 

County records show 62-year-old Vance Tigges owns both properties. He lives at one of them.

The 41 Action News Investigators tried to speak to Tigges on two different days. He either wasn't home or didn't answer the door.

For neighbors, the overgrown vegetation is not just an unsightly mess. It's a serious safety concern. 

The vegetation runs right along Beacon Avenue at a curve, blocking the view of oncoming traffic or pedestrians.

"When we pull out of the driveway, there's oncoming traffic that can't see us until we're literally in the middle of the street," Adams said. 

Adams is afraid to let her children play outside due to wildlife she's seen and heard in the weeds.

The overgrown vegetation also blocks a public sidewalk in front of Tigges's home.

The 41 Action News Investigators obtained county records which show neighbor complaints.

They also show city inspectors have cited the properties for violations multiple times over the last two years.

Recently, Tigges was held in jail for five days.

He's now halfway through an order to get the yards cleaned up in 60 days or face additional consequences.

"We just want justice really," said Adams. "I know that sounds crazy,but this is not normal." 

It appears since the 41 Action News Investigators first stopped at Tigges's home last week, he may have started what would be a massive clean up project.

Court records also show Tigges has had past financial trouble.

In 2013, his income was garnished due to more than $3,800 in unpaid taxes.

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Andy Alcock can be reached at anderson.alcock@kshb.com.

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