City code enforcement will continue to be aggressive in 2023
Spring is an excellent time to walk around your property and ensure it’s clear of any property maintenance violations, especially after a long, dreary winter. Clayton’s code enforcement officer consistently conducts exterior inspections of every neighborhood throughout the year and works with residents to identify if there is a violation and what needs to be done to bring the property into compliance. Things such as junk and debris, unlicensed and inoperable vehicles and high grass are common issues with properties.
Clayton offers free “Sweep Clayton Clean” events in May and October which residents can use to dispose of brush, yard waste and junk and debris free of charge. Residents may also dispose of yard waste in their normal trash cans or tying them into manageable bundles measuring 4 feet or less in length. Keeping your home free of peeling paint, clogged gutters and detached downspouts also protects the structural integrity of homes and will limit more significant repair costs down the road.
The benefit of having a proactive code enforcement program is establishing the aesthetic appeal for which Clayton is known, and ensuring stable and improving property values throughout the community. Following a successful 2022 year in which Clayton’s proactive code enforcement program issued 961 violations within its boundaries, the city’s property maintenance and zoning inspector will continue a strong presence in neighborhoods and commercial corridors throughout 2023. Although having high violation totals is one positive measurable, as the city protects its status as the best place to raise a family in Montgomery County, the program’s most important statistic is compliance gained for all those violations.
Over the past two years, the violation compliance rate has been over 90% in Clayton. This compliance rate has significantly improved since the proactive program was instituted in 2016, after 2015 saw a compliance rate of only 50% on a total of 218 violations. Enhancing the desirability of Clayton is always one of the main tenants of this program, and this year code enforcement will be concentrating extra efforts on yard parking and trashcan placement as those violations are easily identifiable in all neighborhoods. Vehicles are not permitted to be parked or stored on unpaved surfaces, and trashcans must be stored behind the front wall of the house.
If your property happens to find itself in violation, please make the necessary arrangements to bring the property into compliance within the prescribed timeframe or call Clayton offices at 937-836-3500 to discuss your situation with the code enforcement officer.