NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) -- Reports of illegal dumping have been an issue all across Nashville, but residents in the Fairlane Park neighborhood said illegal dumping is growing swiftly in their area, and they're trying to fight back.
According to Fairlane Park Neighborhood Association Director Jeff Sexton, it's a small problem that's now become a big concern.
"It grows very fast," Sexton said. "You don't see it until the spring because they do it in the wintertime. We had tires; we had concrete. Just recently, I had a single mattress that was thrown in there with two large bags of construction trash."
Coming into the neighborhood off Nolensville Pike down Fairlane Drive, there's an area that seems to be a collector for trash and illegal dumping. Over the past three to four years, neighbors have found issues with construction dumping.
"So if they're going to do jobs and projects, then they have to have some resource to dispose of it because a community already faces enough challenges," Sexton said. "We don't need to face the illegal dumping throughout our neighborhoods and city."
Illegal dumping signs have been posted in the neighborhood for the past 15 years. But since trash in the area keeps growing, new signs were added six months ago, and they're much bigger and more visible.
"We don't ever want the residents to approach someone in an aggressive manner and maybe have some type of retaliation; their safety is priority," Sexton said. "If they can get a tag, a picture of a tag or a description of a vehicle where we can report them, turn them in. NDOT can only do so much in regards to enforcement."
The neighborhood also plans to turn to code inspectors if that's what it takes to keep their neighborhood clean.
"That's where we live; that's our home, and with that responsibility comes expectation," Sexton said. "So we're going to be responsible for our neighborhoods and our communities. We have expectations that Metro codes will provide us with the enforcement."
Neighborhood leaders are planning a community Fairlane Park cleanup to help beautify the neighborhood again.
The Nashville Department of Transportation gave News 2 a statement saying, "We want to remind residents that illegal dumping is just that - illegal. We appreciate residents reporting these issues and sharing their concerns, and we encourage community members to report litter and illegal dumping at hubNashville [hub.nashville.gov] or by calling 311."