Granite Shoals steps up code enforcement efforts

Granite Shoals code enforcement officers will be concentrating their efforts on the central portion of the city in the coming months, according to a social media post from the department on March 30. Police Chief John Ortis used the department’s Facebook page to notify residents of the code enforcement push so that they could have an opportunity to address possible code violations on their property.

Code enforcement officers will be systematically inspecting homes in the central part of the city around East Newcastle Drive, to the south on East Bluebriar Drive, and to the east of Phillips Ranch Road. 

Violations are determined by whether they are in the public view. Public view can be considered from a public street, a neighbor’s yard, or from the rear of a property. Officers will focus on the following violations:

• Trash, Debris, and Objectionable Matter: 8-135 (a) of the city code — includes tires, stones, firewood left on the ground, brush piles, trash bags, scrap metal, construction materials, tools and equipment, and other similar items left out in the open. 
• Residential Open Storage: 8-135 (l)(2) of the city code — similar to the Trash, Debris, and Objectionable Matter code, but clarifies the location of the items as being on a porch, carport, or front yard.
• Junk Vehicle(s): Sec 24-71 of the city code — any motorized vehicle that is not operable, not inspected, and not registered (must be all three); also any objects that require a current dated sticker to be legally operated on a waterway or the public roadway.
• Contractors Yard: 40-6 (j) — home-based businesses are allowed in residential districts; however, it cannot be obvious to a person passing by that this is a business. No construction equipment, large trailers, dump trucks, materials, tools, or any other items related to the construction trade are allowed to be stored in a residential district. 
• International Fire Code-Address Numbers: 18-49(b) of city code — house numbers shall be placed on the structure as near to the entrance as possible and visible from the street. Numbers must be a minimum of 4 inches in height and in a color that contrasts with the structure color. A residence located too far off the road may place said numbers on a permanent structure located near the street.
• Dilapidated Structure(s): 8-65(7)(a) of the city code — a structure that is all or in part in a rotting or decaying condition.

Ordinance violations involving litter, fire safety, zoning, public health, and sanitation are punishable by fines only, up to a maximum of $2,000. Punishment for violation of other types of city ordinances is limited to fines only, up to $500.

“We always want to keep our community informed,” Ortis told DailyTrib.com. “We want to let our citizens know so it’s not a surprise. These are ordinances that have been in place.”

Ortis implemented a systematic approach to code enforcement when he became chief in 2022 to create a fair approach to handling violations. Rather than being complaint-driven, the department is attempting to survey the whole city.

“The ultimate goal is compliance,” he said.

dakota@thepicayune.com