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Sunday, May 19, 2013
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Dispute lands Canton man trespass charge

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CANTON — The owner of Canton Townhouses off Ike Noble Drive has been charged with trespassing on neighboring property, where he allegedly took photographs of a large pile of tree limbs and other debris.

Gregory W. Howe, 65, owner of Howe Reale Inc., is scheduled to appear in Village Court at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday after being charged with trespass, a misdemeanor, by Village Patrolman Kevin J. Mousaw. Village Justice Gregory P. Storie is scheduled to handle the proceeding.

The complaint was lodged by Donald J. Tracy, 57, who alleges that Mr. Howe trespassed on property he owns off Ike Noble Drive and took photographs that were presented at the Canton Village Board’s Aug. 21 meeting.

“The pictures were clearly taken from my property,” Mr. Tracy wrote in his police statement. “The property is clearly marked, ‘No trespassing.’ At no time did I give Greg Howe permission to be on my property. It is my belief Greg Howe has been warned to stay off my property.”

Two other people signed statements alleging that they saw Mr. Howe and another man on the property.

Mr. Howe, 916 Farnes Road, and Mr. Tracy, 22 Miner St., have been in a long-running dispute about Mr. Howe’s decision to clear-cut all of the trees from the six-acre parcel he owns behind Fairlane Drive and adjacent to Ike Noble Drive.

The trees have been removed, but a large berm of stumps, limbs and other debris was piled on the side of the property that abuts Mr. Howe’s property.

Mr. Howe alleges that some of the debris has spilled onto his property. Last week he filed a written complaint asking the village board to declare the pile a public nuisance that violates village code.

He said he went on the property to take pictures because he wanted village trustees to get a sense of how large the debris pile is.

There is one posted sign that’s affixed to a National Grid pole off Ike Noble Drive, but the sign doesn’t list Mr. Tracy’s name or phone number.

“It’s on the village right of way,” Mr. Howe said Wednesday. “Anybody can walk around the world putting up posted signs, but it doesn’t mean anything unless there is a name on it.”

Since last week, several more posted signs have been put up on the property, he said.

Mr. Howe said he has never been advised or warned by anyone to stay off Mr. Tracy’s land.

“Don Tracy has never approached me, either verbally or in writing,” Mr. Howe said.

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