It seems to me that this one code enforcer is wasting the city's money by spending his time writing citations that aren't based on a complaint. He seems to have a vendetta against this one homeowner. I think he should be fired.
I wonder why they can't just buy, borrow or rent a weed whacker.
I am missing some context for spending $30,000 being a serious option, and I wonder if the inspector didn't understand either.
(Further on it says they paid someone $5000 to remove the vegetation...
And another $4,000: "I’ve since attempted to stop the erosion by anchoring cement blocks into the slope and turning them into beds with trees and decorative plants. Hauling cement blocks and 35-pound bags of mulch up a steep slope is a laborious process, and I have no idea if it will work. But while it’s still been expensive — about $4,000 so far"
And a tree that costs thousands to remove: "By forcing us to fix a dubious problem, the city had created a genuine safety hazard. Taking down the tree will cost another $4,000 to $6,000.")