It may look like a dump-site, but it's not.
"We keep cleaning up, it keeps coming back," said Abilene resident Walter Manuel.
"It's an eyesore," said his neighbor Jakie Warmsley.
It's actually part of several neighbors backyards and they're tired of having to clean it up.
They say more and more people are illegally dumping items in their alley.
"Their garbage, their trash, their old mattresses," said Warmsley.
Its not just about aesthetics, it's also a safety hazard.
"One might happen to drive through the neighborhood, throw out a cigarette, even unintentionally setting a fire," Said Manuel.
It happened to Warmsely, whose already had two fires.
"Some kids or somebody going down the alley had set a fire with the trash that's behind," said the 85 year-old.
She's had to replace her wooden fence for a metal one to prevent it from happening again.
The residents usually cleans up the area, but its gotten out of control and they've now asked for the city's help.
"The property owner is responsible for not only within the property, their property boundaries, but in also in essence halfway into the street or the middle of an alley," said Edward McRoy, Ass. Dir. of Development and Planning for the City of Abilene.
There's only one officer who deals with illegal dumping cases in Abilene. That's the number of officials Abilene City Council has appointed.
"Could we do more with more personnel, certainly," said McRoy.
Manuel and Warmsley say the city has helped them some, however the dumping continues.
They agree the best solution is some simple neighborly kindness.
"We need to have neighbors be neighbors and to try to take care of each others property," said Warmsley.
City Officials say they're working on a proposal for the 2013 budget to purchase security cameras which they hope to install along popular dump-sites in order to catch illegal dumpers in the act.
"We keep cleaning up, it keeps coming back," said Abilene resident Walter Manuel.
"It's an eyesore," said his neighbor Jakie Warmsley.
It's actually part of several neighbors backyards and they're tired of having to clean it up.
They say more and more people are illegally dumping items in their alley.
"Their garbage, their trash, their old mattresses," said Warmsley.
Its not just about aesthetics, it's also a safety hazard.
"One might happen to drive through the neighborhood, throw out a cigarette, even unintentionally setting a fire," Said Manuel.
It happened to Warmsely, whose already had two fires.
"Some kids or somebody going down the alley had set a fire with the trash that's behind," said the 85 year-old.
She's had to replace her wooden fence for a metal one to prevent it from happening again.
The residents usually cleans up the area, but its gotten out of control and they've now asked for the city's help.
"The property owner is responsible for not only within the property, their property boundaries, but in also in essence halfway into the street or the middle of an alley," said Edward McRoy, Ass. Dir. of Development and Planning for the City of Abilene.
There's only one officer who deals with illegal dumping cases in Abilene. That's the number of officials Abilene City Council has appointed.
"Could we do more with more personnel, certainly," said McRoy.
Manuel and Warmsley say the city has helped them some, however the dumping continues.
They agree the best solution is some simple neighborly kindness.
"We need to have neighbors be neighbors and to try to take care of each others property," said Warmsley.
City Officials say they're working on a proposal for the 2013 budget to purchase security cameras which they hope to install along popular dump-sites in order to catch illegal dumpers in the act.
