LEWISTON - The Lewiston city council deferred a yard clutter issue to a city committee Monday night.

The issue? The appearance of the home at 1520 Warner Avenue in the Orchards. The twist? The home belongs to the father of Lewiston Mayor Doug Havens.

According to Code Enforcement Officer Steve Campbell, unused trailers, trucks that don't run, and general clutter have become an eyesore in the neighborhood. Campbell said the issue has been ongoing for four and a half years.

"Our next course of action would be to come before council, as we are tonight, then have council declare it a nuisance so it could be abated," said Campbell.

A judge ordered homeowner Ted Havens to pay a $62 littering fine in 2006. If declared a nuisance, the city would be allowed to clean up the property.

Havens is a longtime drywaller, and said he runs his business out of his home. He argued he bought the property in 1965, before it became part of the city, and said the city's claim that there's unused junk in the yard is untrue.

"I don't have litter, I have usable Items in my backyard," said Havens. "I don't use them every day. I don't have enough indoor space to store them, so I have to stack them around outside, scaffolding, planks, wheels, electric tractors that I use to make the scaffolding mobile."

The council did not declare the property a nuisance Monday night, instead sending it to the Development Ombudsman Advisory Committee on a 4-1 vote.

City Manager Jay Krauss said the decision "pushes the envelope" of the bounds of the committee, but more than one councilor said that this wasn't the only home in similar or worse condition in the city.