Weeds continue to overtake the 300-plus acre property.
Rosencrans said residents have been complaining about the condition of the property, now a haven for weeds that are growing out of cracked pavement throughout the site and where scattered random equipment sits.
“They haven’t been doing anything, and that is frustrating. It’s neglect,” he said. “There’s a lack of oversight, because they don’t have a personal investment in it.”
Property owner Motors Liquidation Co. in Detroit could not be reached this week for comment.
Moraine is one of four U.S. cities — Wilmington, Del.; Shreveport, La.; and Pontiac, Mich., are the others — where Motors Liquidation owns GM assembly plants that are either closed or winding down operations.
Tim Yost, a company spokesman, told the Dayton Daily News on July 16 that Motors Liquidation would have the site cleared of weeds by July 20.
So far, the only weeds removed from the site have been along Springboro Pike.
City Manager Dave Hicks said the city contacted Motors Liquidation last month and asked the company to address the condition of the property.
“I’ve spoken to them briefly, and they said they had a contract just to do the exterior areas, that they’re looking at the option to include the pavement areas,” Hicks said, referring to areas behind the plant’s fence line.
“They don’t have an answer yet about that. They have to make a decision about doing it.”
Hicks said he will continue to talk with the company to resolve the nuisance.
“We expect we’ll have a positive outcome, eventually,” he said.
If the company does not fulfill its promise within two weeks, Rosencrans said city crews will take care of it and a cost will be assessed to the company’s property tax.
“The same as if it were anyone who neglects their property and it becomes a nuisance,” he said. “We are holding them to the same rules as our residents would be held to. The place will be cleaned up.”
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