SIDNEY — Village officials decided to take legal action on a nuisance property on Monday.

The Sidney Village Board voted to refer an ongoing problem involving a house littered with debris at 206 E. Main St. to civil law attorney James Green. The owner has received verbal warnings, and Village Attorney Paul Hendren sent a letter last month, but the property was not cleaned up to village board members' satisfaction.

Neighbors say the house's garbage blows onto their property.

"It's just not fair to the residents who live around him," Village President John Finn said.

Hendren warned that if Green decides to prosecute the owner for ordinance violations, the process would not be easy and would probably cost between $500 and $1,500.

"It's expensive, time consuming and frustrating," he said.

Hendren added that it would be more difficult to prosecute the homeowner because it doesn't appear to pose a safety threat.

He advised against the village simply cleaning up the property and then charging the homeowner.

"It's better if you never go on (property) unless you have a court order or the owner's consent," Hendren said.

The village board also discussed a problem with overgrown grass on the property of an abandoned house now in foreclosure at 103 W. Byron St. Hendren said the problem is one that towns across the country are facing.

"It's chaotic, and it's creating more and more problems for municipalities," he said.