1306.12 YARD AREA MAINTENANCE.
(a) Refuse and Junk Vehicles.
(1) No furniture (except lawn furniture in good repair), mattresses, household furnishings, rugs, appliances, unused posts, unregistered vehicles, dilapidated or junk vehicles or vehicle parts, discarded or abandoned machinery and construction equipment shall be placed or stored in any yard area or use within the City over a period in excess of five (5) days.
(2) Exterior property areas of all premises or uses, including but not limited to fences and driveways, shall be kept free of debris, objects, materials or conditions that create a health, accident or fire hazard, or are a public nuisance, or constitute a blighting or deteriorating influence on the neighborhood. All debris shall be removed within five (5) days.
(Ord. 2002-051. Passed 7-30-02.)
(b) Grass, Weeds and Vegetation Control.
(1) No owner, tenant or person in physical control of any lot within the City shall allow grasses, weeds or vegetation to attain a height of six inches or more. Nor shall any person allow ragweed, daisies, goldenrod, burdock, yellow dock, thistles or any other weed or vegetable capable of exhaling offensive or noxious odors or from which there is carried by the wind any injurious, offensive or annoying pollen, dust, seed or particles or which may conceal filthy deposits, to grow on such lot or parcel of land and fail to have the same closely mowed, cut or removed.
(2) The Director of Safety/Service shall cause an annual notice to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Norwalk and to be placed upon the City’s web site notifying the residents of the requirements of this section.
(3) The Director of Safety/Service shall cause lots and lands within the City suspected of being in violation of this section to be inspected. If lots and lands are found to be in violation, the Director of Safety/Service shall cause to be served a one-time notice requiring the grasses, weeds or vegetation to be cut within five (5) days and thereafter during the growing season with sufficient frequency to prevent such grasses, weeds or vegetation from exceeding six inches. The notice shall be served on the property owner, tenant or person in physical control of the property by certified U.S. mail, by regular mail with a certificate of mailing upon failure of certified mail, or may be hand delivered to such person or may be served residentially by leaving a copy at the affected property.
(4) Only one notice pursuant to subsection (b)(3) hereof per year shall be required for any lot or land found to be in violation of this section. In the event any lot or land is found to be in violation subsequent to the service of said notice, the City may proceed in accordance with subsections (b)(5) through (b)(7).
(5) If after the expiration of five (5) days from the date of service of the notice, the lot or parcel of land has not been cut, the Director of Safety/Service shall cause such weeds, grasses, or vegetation to be cut. The Director of Safety/Service may employ the necessary labor to perform the task or may contract to have such work performed.
(6) The owner, tenant, or person in physical control of the property shall be charged the cost of such labor which shall be provided by the City or by an independent contractor. Such cost shall be determined by an hourly rate to be established yearly by the Director of Safety/Service, who shall set such rate based on the anticipated costs of contracting to have the work performed plus the associated costs of administering the work including but not limited to performing inspections, delivering the notices, contracting for services, and collection and enforcement actions.
(Ord. 2009-052. Passed 11-17-09.)
(7) A statement of the costs shall be mailed to the owner or responsible party of such land by certified mail, return receipt requested. In the event such certified mail is returned endorsed “unclaimed” or “refused”, the statement shall be sent by regular U.S. mail with certificate of mailing. In the event the whereabouts of the owner or responsible party are unknown, the statement shall be posted upon the premises. Receipt of the statement shall be deemed completed upon the signing of the certified mail receipt, the mailing of the regular mail with certificate of mailing, or the posting of the statement upon the premises. Such cost shall be paid within seven days after the receipt of the statement, or such amount shall be certified to the County Auditor to be placed on the tax duplicate becoming a lien on such property to be collected as other taxes and returned to the City’ General Fund.
(Ord. 2013-051. Passed 11-5-13.)
(8) This section shall not apply to cultivated flowers, gardens, undeveloped wooded areas or farmland except that no such areas may obstruct the vision of motorists and pedestrian traffic on or near public roads.
(Ord. 2009-052. Passed 11-17-09.)
(c) Accessory Structures.
(1) All structures or uses located in the yard area within the City, such as sheds, barns, garages, bins and the like, shall be maintained in good repair in conformance with other provisions of this chapter having regard to foundations, roofs and exterior surfaces.
(2) Any broken, rusted, deteriorated or decayed fence, yard, enclosure or other device or structure located in the yard area contiguous to any structures or use within the City shall be repaired or removed.
(d) Ground Surface Hazards. Holes, cracks, excavations, breaks, projections and obstructions at any place on the premises, including but not limited to driveways and sidewalks, which in the opinion of the Zoning Inspector, are a hazard to persons using the premises shall not be permitted.
(e) Storm Water Drainage. Storm water shall be properly drained to prevent recurrent or excessive ponding or the entrance of water into any crawl space, basement or cellar. Downspouts, foundation drains, and other storm and surface water drains shall not be connected to sanitary sewers. Storm water drainage shall not be directed at adjoining properties when such adjoining property is within ten (10) feet of the point of discharge.
(Ord. 2002-051. Passed 7-30-02.)