DEARBORN — Residents raised concerns this week regarding overgrown grass on a median in front of the Islamic Center of America that was estimated to have been between three to four feet high. 

Following a delayed response from the city and county about getting the grass cut, residents took measures into their own hands in fears that the eyesore had become a public safety concern. 

Drivers were having difficulty with visibility as they exited the mosque from Alter Road onto Ford Road and were worried that the grass would continue to grow during Ramadan, when the mosque sees a drastic spike in traffic.

While the open field of grass is the county’s responsibility, residents expressed frustrations at the city for allowing the grass to grow for so long. 

“Basically, the grass needed to be cut,” said local attorney Tarek Baydoun. “Residents are getting tickets for grass that’s four inches high. When that kind of accountability is demanded on the residents, then the same should be demanded on the city.”

Baydoun said he attempted to bring the situation to the attention of the city and the county commission. He sent an email to Mayor Jack O’Reilly and Wayne County Commissioner Garry Woronchak on June 5, citing safety concerns. 

After Baydoun received no response from either city or county officials, he took his concerns to social media. A local Dearborn resident who owned a maintenance company volunteered to cut some of the grass. 

On Monday, June 15, Vivid Maintenance used its equipment to cut the patch of grass that may have been obstructing motorists’ views near Ford Road. Baydoun claimed the local company had difficulty managing its equipment due to the height of the grass.

“The mowers were stalling because the grass was so high,” Baydoun said. 

FOX 2 News picked up the story and highlighted Baydoun and Vivid Maintenance cutting the grass in front of the ICA.

O’Reilly told The Arab American News that the county was responsible for taming the grass in previous years. Last year, however, the city stepped in after the county made some cutbacks on public grass cutting.

He noted that the city was in the process of hiring a contractor to cut the grass along Alter Road.

“The truth is we couldn’t get to it as soon as we would would’ve liked to,” O’Reilly said. “With all the rain this spring, the contractor couldn’t get to it in a timely manner. Legally it’s not our obligation, but we took it on for the benefit of the city.”

O’Reilly noted that the excessive rainfall this spring has led to rapidly growing grass across the region, forcing the city to cut more public grass than it normally would have in previous years.

“There’s no rule that says how many times the state or county has to cut it,” O’Reilly said. “We choose to cut more often because we think it’s important for our citizens in terms of how they perceive the image of Dearborn.”

Baydoun noted that the city has stepped up its grass cutting efforts along Ford Road compared to previous years. He acknowledged that O’Reilly listened to residents’ inquires regarding cutting patches of grass in several areas across the six mile stretch of Ford Road within the city limits.  

On Tuesday, June 16, the city contractor eventually made its way out to Alter Road to finish the job started by Vivid Maintenance.  However, Baydoun still questioned why the city appeared to have skimmed over the area on Alter Road. 

“The situation in front of Ford Road raises a lot of questions,” he said. “I want to actually thank the mayor because Ford Road looks beautiful now. I do think credit is due there, but there are still some issues that need to be addressed.”

O’Reilly said that there are more pressing issues that the city is focusing on, citing a Corridor Authority project with Wayne County that is expected to improve business districts along Warren Ave. 

“Cutting grass along Alter Road is not a burning issue in Dearborn,” O’Reilly said. “There are real issues that we are working on. The kind of things that will transform areas and help the city grow. I understand people want to make noise and get on TV, but the public knows what’s important.”