Man in Dunedin could lose home for not mowing lawn

A man is about to lose his home in Dunedin north of Clearwater, all over the fact he didn’t cut his grass.

Jim Fickens said he was out of town to sell his late mother’s condo and asked a friend to take care of his lawn, but that friend died.

The grass grew 10 inches high, which is a code violation in Dunedin. Fickens said he didn’t find out until it was too late, and he accumulated more than 28,000 in fines. Now, the city is foreclosing on the home.

Fickens is suing the city because he said the fines are excessive.

10News (WTSP) reports, Dunedin city officials said the city had warned Fickens about letting the grass of his lawn grow too long. The city shared a list of 15 violations at Fickens’ property dating back to 2007.