Public hearings have been scheduled for Nov. 14 on proposed laws aimed at removing safety hazards associated with vacant and unsafe properties in Pleasantville.

A vacant home near Bedford Road School on Manville Road prompted the proposals. “The property adjacent to the middle school, the village is concerned about it being maintained for the students and families,” said Building Inspector Robert Hughes.

He said the village also has three other abandoned properties. The proposal for a property maintenance law was first discussed at a Village Board meeting in August. A memo from the village attorney indicates that the law “may address general property conditions such as the outdoor storage of junk, rubbish or debris on private property, as well the cutting, trimming or removing of brush, grass or weeds.”

If the proposal is approved by the Village Board, a private company would trim hedges and remove other safety hazards outside the homes. The property owner would be responsible for the cost of the services. Liens could be placed on properties whose owners do not pay.

Hughes said he would like to get the measure approved before the winter months, since snow removal is one of the biggest concerns associated with the abandoned property near the school. “Right now, we are working against nature. But we are doing all that we can to push this as quickly as possible,” he said.

If the proposed laws are not approved, Hughes said the Department of Public Works would respond to complaints about hazardous properties.