Onondaga County has reportedly mowed the overgrown lawns and weeds at numerous vacant properties it owns along Burnet Road in Clay, residents and county officials confirmed with WAER News. WAER reported Wednesday about the deteriorating condition of more than two dozen properties acquired by the county to expand the adjacent White Pine Commerce Park. County Executive Ryan McMahon offered this brief explanation on the activity in the neighborhood.
"There's a lot of grass that's been mowed," McMahon said. "For the record, the sheriff's, the SWAT teams, the fire departments have all asked for us to use some of those homes for training. So as part of that the law enforcement public safety agencies have agreed to board up any homes. Hopefully, in short order, that won't be an issue, and we'll be knocking down those homes with good economic news."
McMahon couldn’t say when that might come. Meanwhile, residents said the empty properties have been a magnet for burglars. In an email, resident Paul Richer said they’ve stolen expensive equipment from homes in the process of being vacated.
McMahon denied knowing about the crime, but Sheriff’s Sergeant John Seeber said in an email that deputies responded to three separate incidents on Burnet Road last week, two reported as a burglary and one as a larceny. Two men were arrested Sunday on criminal trespass charges. He said the investigations remain active.
