By ADAM ATKINSON

CANTON — A neighbor of a property at 27 Chapel St. is raising concerns with the village board and code enforcement officer about upkeep of the property and whether or not the fraternity that occupied the property this spring had a right to do so under Canton zoning law restrictions.

The concerns have the village mayor and codes researching the situation.

Former Canton code enforcer John F. Hill, of 24 Chapel St., said, in a letter to Village Mayor Michael Dalton that the property in question lies in a C1 zone. Section 325-B-2 a of the village code states that using a property as a fraternity house in that type of zone classification requires a special exception from the Village Planning Board.

Such an exception has not been granted.

In addition, Hill details in his letter that lawn maintenance at the property has not been up to snuff.

“I feel that the lack of property maintenance at this address is a detriment to the entire surrounding neighborhood and the homeowners who work hard to make their properties code compliant,” Hill wrote.

Mayor Dalton said that code enforcement officer Jeff Murray is aware of the complaints and has been working with the occupants.

“(Hill is) escalating it a little bit, and I know Jeff has worked on it and gotten them to cut the lawn, but (Hill) is making some other points that I will share with you. We may have to take some other action because it didn’t go through the proper approvals in order for them to turn that into some sort of unofficial frat house,” Dalton said to the village board at their meeting June 18.

“Well I don’t blame John (Hill) for not wanting them (next door),” said Village Trustee Carol Pynchon.

“I don’t blame him,” Dalton said, “We’re just doing more research into it.”