Alamance County has filed a lawsuit against a Graham homeowner asking a judge to order the homeowner, Patricia Hayes Walker of 815 Grey Fox Trail in Graham, who the suit alleges has allowed garbage and debris to pile up outside her home at 815 Grey Fox Trail in Graham for more than two years, posing a health hazard to home’s occupants, neighbors, and the general public.
Walker was initially notified in writing that the unsanitary condition of her property was in violation of Alamance County’s solid waste ordinance two years ago: on January 24, 2022 and on November 8, 2022, according to the suit.
Instead, Walker has allegedly continued to allow garbage and debris to pile up outside of her home, the suit asserts. Walker’s property along Grey Fox Trail is located just south of Graham, off Rogers Road and beyond Southern High School Road.
Alamance County’s solid waste ordinance prohibits any property owner or tenant from accumulating, storing, or depositing garbage or solid waste that isn’t properly stored upon the property; it also stipulates that garbage and/or solid waste may not be left outside of any building or dwelling for more than two weeks, the complaint states.
[Story continues below additional photos of the front yard of 815 Grey Fox Trail, Graham.]
In it is suit, the Alamance County attorney’s office cites a provision within that ordinance, which stipulates, “solid waste that provides substantial risk…that would provide food or haborage for rodents, attract, feed or provide for breeding of flies, mosquitoes, or vermin, or in any manner that would create a health, fire, or safety hazard shall be removed immediately.”
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Various county staff members visited the property in May 2023 and December 2023 and, on both occasions, observed a “substantial pile of household bags, old discarded personal property, and other debris discarded onto the front and side yards of the property.”
Following an inspection of the premises at 815 Grey Fox Trail, the county’s Environmental Health Department determined that the property was in violation of the solid waste ordinance and gave Walker, the homeowner, a deadline of January 28, 2024 to remove the piles of household trash and other debris being stored on her property, according to the county’s suit.
Walker was given an additional five weeks in late February to clean the property up.
However, county staff visited the property again on April 24 and July 31, 2024 and found that the condition of the property had not changed since their previous visits, while “neighbors have continued to voice their concerns to county staff,” the complaint states.
Alamance County’s Environmental Health Department is asking a superior court judge to grant a preliminary and permanent injunction ordering Walker to remove the waste and debris from the property, as required by the solid waste ordinance.
“There is an increasing threat that such material and debris will attract and harbor insects, rodents or other pests,” the county contends in its suit. “The existence and maintenance of the defendant’s premises with its current solid waste collection is unlawful and if not abated, will continue to pose a threat to the occupants and members of the general public.”
In addition to requesting that a judge order Walker to clean up her property as required by the solid waste ordinance, the county attorney’s office is also asking that a superior court judge to allow county staff to take any actions necessary to remedy the conditions – should the homeowner refuse to do so – and to place a lien against the property to recover court costs.
The county attorney’s office recently filed the suit against Walker in Alamance County civil superior court.
Walker has not yet filed a response, and a hearing had not been scheduled as of press time.
