City of Lincoln FAQs for the month of July

[August 02, 2011]  Monday evening during the voting session of the Lincoln City Council, the city FAQs for the month of July were distributed to the media. These questions and their answers will be posted on the city website for future reference.

(Copy of file received)

Topic: Code Enforcement - Grass and Weeds

Question: How tall can grass and weeds grow on a property before it becomes a public nuisance? Who do you contact to report a property overgrown with weeds and grass?

Answer provided by John Lebegue, city Building and Safety office:

Grass and weeds that are permitted to grow in excess of one foot (12") in height on any premises within the City constitutes a public nuisance.

To report a property that is overgrown with weeds or grass in excess of one foot in height, please contact the Building and Safety Office at 217-732-3168 or [e-mail]. Upon notification or discovery of a property with overgrown vegetation, the Building and Safety Office sends a letter to the owner, lessee, tenant, or agent having control of the property notifying them of the violation and directing them to cut down all grass and weeds that exceed one foot in height within seven (7) days. Should the grass and weeds not be cut down within 7 days, the Building and Safety Officer has the grass and weeds cut down. An invoice for the mowing expense, payable within 30 days, is then sent to the property owner or agent.

Topic: Historic Phone Booth

Question: Why is the phone booth on top of the fire station?

Answer provided by Chief Mark Miller, Lincoln Fire Department:

Today the phone booth is a focal point for the Historic Route 66 and a regular conversation piece.

We are unaware of the actual dates, but the phone booth was an early tool used by the Lincoln Fire Department, originally placed on top of the building to provide a lookout position for severe weather spotters. Firefighters, usually a young new firefighter, would report to the phone booth with a radio or at the time, a direct hard wire phone line connected to the apparatus bay. If severe weather such as wall clouds, funnel clouds, or tornadoes were spotted, the fire fighter would call downstairs and have the storm siren activated.

With today's technologies in the weather service, firefighters are not needed to spot weather from the phone booth, even though the Fire Department is requested to confirm severe weather. The old storm siren that also accompanied the phone booth on the City Hall building was removed from the roof in 2009 after it was no longer serviceable.

The phone booth also was on the removal list during the roof replacement in 2009, but because of the historic value and the tradition, citizens spoke up and the historic conversation piece was kept in place.

Today, many people who visit downtown Lincoln stop by and ask firefighters many questions about the phone booth. Firefighters inform the visitors that on occasion Superman stops by for a change of clothing. Visitors are not allowed on the roof to see the phone booth due to the lack of handrails and safety devices.

Topic: Bicycle Safety

Question: What are the Rules of the Road for Bicycles?

Answer by Chief Ken Greenslate, Lincoln Police Department:

Bicyclists must obey the same laws that motorists must follow. A bicycle must have a front light that is visible for 500 feet if it is used at night. A bicycle must have a rear red reflector that is visible from 100 to 600 feet. Bicycles must also have reflectors on the pedals and on the sides of the bicycle. Bicycles must have functioning brakes.

Bicycles must be ridden as close to the curb as practical in the same direction as normal traffic. A bicyclist is not allowed to impede the normal flow of traffic. Bicycles must stop at stop signs and obey all other rules of the road. Bicyclists must use hand signals to show their intentions to turn 100 feet before the turn. It is recommended that bicycle riders try to ride on roads that are wide enough for cars to safely pass them.

Finally, a person should always remember that no amount of safety equipment will protect a bicycle rider from the force of a collision with a motor vehicle.

Topic: Repair and replacement - Sidewalks

Question: What can I do to get my sidewalk fixed in front of my house?

Answer provided by Tracy Jackson, City Streets and Alleys:

The sidewalk that runs from your house to the street (if you have one) is your responsibility. The sidewalk that runs across the front or side of your property along the street is the City's responsibility. You can contact the Street Department at 217-732-4655 or [e-mail]  if you think the condition of your walk constitutes an immediate hazard and the Street Superintendent will come out and look at the walk to determine its condition.

If your sidewalk is not deemed an immediate hazard, but you feel it needs to be repaired, you will need to pick up a sidewalk petition form from the Building and Safety Office on the 1st Floor of City Hall. When completing the form you'll need to list the location and dimensions of the sidewalk in question. Be sure to check the box on the form that lets the City know if you will be doing and paying for the work yourself ,if you will be doing do the work and asking the City to reimburse you, or asking the City does the work at their expense.

When the form is complete, return it to the City Clerk's Office at City Hall. Once the petition is filed, the Sidewalk Committee of the City Council will discuss it at their nest Tuesday workshop session. Following action by the Sidewalk Committee, the City Council as a whole will vote on the requested repairs at their next voting meeting. You will then receive a letter from City Hall letting you know if the petition was approved or denied.

For more information on this subject, you can review the City ordinances on Sidewalk Construction found in Title 8, Chapter 6 of the City Code (8-6-1 through 8-6-7). The City Code is viewable on the City website: www.cityoflincoln-il.gov.

[Text from file received]