Mounting pile of waste behind Washington County business leads to court filing

WASHINGTON, Pa. — The City of Washington has taken legal action, trying to get a business owner and property owner to clean up a mounting pile of waste that has accrued on Jefferson Avenue.

Pieces of furniture, tires, even an old bicycle — that’s what can be seen behind Hauling and That, a junk removal business.

Mayor JoJo Burgess told Channel 11 that the property is not zoned for a junk removal business to operate there, right across the street from Washington Senior High School.

“When you get over there and look at the disregard that someone has for that property, it makes no sense,” Burgess said.

Burgess said the business owner, Michael Lynch, moved in over the summer. Burgess said he spoke with Lynch personally then, asking if he’d obtained the proper permits from the city. Months later, that still hasn’t happened.

“None of that stuff was okayed. None of that stuff was approved. The business owner decided, ‘Well, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to continue to operate anyways,’” Burgess said.

The result: tens of thousands of dollars in fines, still unpaid, after the city cited Lynch, as well as the property owner, Talebi Homes.

Channel 11 went to Talebi’s office and knocked on the door. No one answered. We also called the number listed for Hauling and That, but were unable to leave a message.

Burgess said Lynch brought in dumpsters and cleared the property in October, but less than a month later, it’s even worse.

“I get it with the residents - they say, ‘you go clean it up.’ I’d love to clean it up,” Burgess said. “If we go on this property and something gets disturbed, we now become liable.”

Burgess said he’s looking forward to the city having its day in court on Nov. 25 and is hoping a judge will uphold the penalties and order the property to be cleaned up.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW