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My property has been reported to code enforcement, probably for being a fire hazard, but possibly due to some nonsense like weeds in the front lawn or something. I am required to schedule an inspection with the city.
The front yard is not beautiful manicured grass, but it's within code except maybe one or two plants encroaching on the sidewalk. I could take care of that in minutes.
The back yard is a firetrap in need of serious professional work. It is mostly clear to the city-required distance from structures, but there is heavy dry brush beyond the minimum clearing distance. I had already planned to hire a brush clearing company this year to clear the dead underbrush and some small trees, trim my large trees, and generally clean the place up so I can keep it under control myself from here on out.
I could bring the land up to code, or mostly up to code, myself, by doing the bare minimum the city requires, but it's hours of work that I'd rather just fold into the big clearing job.
My plan is to just leave it as-is, and then go over the problems with the city inspector. I'm hoping for a list to work off of, and some time before I start getting fined, to make sure the brush clearing company doesn't miss anything. I'm also hoping to get some advice (official or unofficial) about which companies to use and how to make sure they do their job fairly and correctly.
Anybody have experience in dealing with code enforcement? Is my plan good, or should I scramble to make the place look presentable before the inspection? Vote and comment, please!
Will you be facing a financial or other penalty by the municipality if the inspector sees any violation of the regulations? If they come out, tell you whats wrong, give you a chance to fix it, you might as well wait and see what you need to do. But if they issue a violation with penalties because they saw a violation when the arrived, I would try to comply before they arrive. Some CEI's will make the decision to provide a grace period to comply or issue a violation on the spot based on the severity of what they initially see.
If you are looking for a punch list from the inspector, around here, that's not only not his job, all he's going to hand you is a court summons. At court, you're already out several hundred bucks just in court costs and you haven't even hired an attorney. The City here will at that point give you 10 days to be compliant- no punch list, no explanation, just bring it up to code. If you fail to do that, the City will then bring in their contractors to bring it up to code. These contractors have to be the most expensive guys in the world. Just cutting the grass can a grand. Failure to pay means they will file a lien on the property and then foreclose on it. Considering you've already been warned by Code Compliance, I'd be warming up the lawn mower for the next few days.
All they care about is that you get your yard to the point that it is not a public health and safety hazard.
The point is not about a punch list, the meeting or getting it spiffed up for the codes guy. Get off your duff, stop overthinking and procrastinating and take care of it.
It's YOUR responsibility, and if you leave it "as-is" while you wait for your punch list, and then the city has to take care of it, then they're spending your neighbor's tax dollars to take care of YOUR yard work, for which they will then bill you anyway.
You know what the problems are, and you admit that some of them will only "take minutes" or are "an easy fix." So ... fix it.
My property has been reported to code enforcement, probably for being a fire hazard, but possibly due to some nonsense like weeds in the front lawn or something. I am required to schedule an inspection with the city.
The front yard is not beautiful manicured grass, but it's within code except maybe one or two plants encroaching on the sidewalk. I could take care of that in minutes.
The back yard is a firetrap in need of serious professional work. It is mostly clear to the city-required distance from structures, but there is heavy dry brush beyond the minimum clearing distance. I had already planned to hire a brush clearing company this year to clear the dead underbrush and some small trees, trim my large trees, and generally clean the place up so I can keep it under control myself from here on out.
I could bring the land up to code, or mostly up to code, myself, by doing the bare minimum the city requires, but it's hours of work that I'd rather just fold into the big clearing job.
My plan is to just leave it as-is, and then go over the problems with the city inspector. I'm hoping for a list to work off of, and some time before I start getting fined, to make sure the brush clearing company doesn't miss anything. I'm also hoping to get some advice (official or unofficial) about which companies to use and how to make sure they do their job fairly and correctly.
Anybody have experience in dealing with code enforcement? Is my plan good, or should I scramble to make the place look presentable before the inspection? Vote and comment, please!
Pretty sure you weren't reported due to "nonsense like weeds" if you readily admit your backyard is a firetrap. Good on whoever reported you. They may have saved YOUR life among others.
Folks in CA have had enough of fires destroying homes and lives. To know your property is a hazard and do nothing about it until forced is ridiculous. Hire a contractor ASAP.
My property has been reported to code enforcement, probably for being a fire hazard, but possibly due to some nonsense like weeds in the front lawn or something. I am required to schedule an inspection with the city.
The front yard is not beautiful manicured grass, but it's within code except maybe one or two plants encroaching on the sidewalk. I could take care of that in minutes.
The back yard is a firetrap in need of serious professional work. It is mostly clear to the city-required distance from structures, but there is heavy dry brush beyond the minimum clearing distance. I had already planned to hire a brush clearing company this year to clear the dead underbrush and some small trees, trim my large trees, and generally clean the place up so I can keep it under control myself from here on out.
I could bring the land up to code, or mostly up to code, myself, by doing the bare minimum the city requires, but it's hours of work that I'd rather just fold into the big clearing job.
My plan is to just leave it as-is, and then go over the problems with the city inspector. I'm hoping for a list to work off of, and some time before I start getting fined, to make sure the brush clearing company doesn't miss anything. I'm also hoping to get some advice (official or unofficial) about which companies to use and how to make sure they do their job fairly and correctly.
Anybody have experience in dealing with code enforcement? Is my plan good, or should I scramble to make the place look presentable before the inspection? Vote and comment, please!
Why do you think not maintaining your property is considerate to your neighbors? Is it cultural? Just asking.
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