This page contains answers to common questions that folks in the neighborhood have been asking.

• My neighbors do not maintain their yard, what can I do?
   
• What other codes are there?

My neighbors do not maintain their yard, what can I do?

You can file a complaint with the County by calling 520-6500 provided that it is violation of the State "Noxious Weed Ordinance".

The weed code includes grasses. It states that no weeds/grass can be over nine inches (9") tall and growing within fifty-five feet (55’) of a building, creating a fire hazard; or along sidewalks/curbs/roadways to obstruct pedestrian traffic, on corners causing a traffic hazard or blocking the flow of water, i.e. drainage ditches. Owners/occupants are notified and if not abated, a contractor is scheduled to do the work and the owner is billed.

Code Enforcement is also required by the State to enforce the "Noxious Weed Ordinance". The State has declared five weeds as "noxious" and must be controlled, as they are a great threat to the agriculture and livestock industry. The Noxious Weeds are: Diffuse, Spotted and Russian Knapweed, Leafy Spurge and Canada Thistle. The ordinance states that the weeds must be controlled on all public, private and government owned property.

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What other codes are there?

Below are the city codes that are reportable. Because Falcon View is in the County these may or may not apply. As we learn more this section will be updated.

RECREATIONAL/UTILITY VEHICLE STORAGE AND PARKING
All recreational vehicles, utility trailers, boats and trailers, etc. must be stored/parked in the rear yard whenever possible. If the back is not accessible, they must be placed in the side yard or may be kept in the front if they are at least ten feet back from the inside of the sidewalk or city right of way.

NOISE ENFORCEMENT
Involves industrial, residential and commercial zones. Certain levels of decibels cannot be exceeded in certain zones. Investigation sometimes has to be conducted at night. Violators are notified to make the necessary corrections. Colorado Springs Police Officers respond to loud parties, "boom box" and vehicular noise complaints and can be contacted at 444-7000. Barking dog complaints are handled by the Colorado Humane Society at 227-7387.

OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING OR STORAGE
This code applies to vehicles over 10,001-lbs. gross vehicle weight rating. This type of vehicle can not be parked or
stored in any zone except C-6 or M-l, M-2. This is applicable to dump trucks, semis, most tow trucks, trucks, etc.

LIGHT INTRUSION
States that "all exterior lighting must be arranged to reflect away from any adjoining premises and any public
right-of way, and it shall be shielded to contain all direct rays on the site."

GARAGE SALE SIGN REGULATIONS
These signs may be placed on private property. It is not permissible to place them on light poles, utility boxes
or stop signs. (Garage sales are also restricted to two a year, not more than two consecutive days).

SIGNS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
Garage sale signs lead into part of the litter code, signs on public property or right of ways, obstruction of public
ways and maintenance of adjacent right of ways. Everyone has seen these types of signs littering the roadways.

In March, 2003 City Council passed an ordinance allowing posting of temporary signs within the City/Public Rights of Way, without obtaining a Revocable Permit, and, such posting had to meet specific criteria; that code, in part, is below:

OBSTRUCTION OF RIGHT OF WAYS
This code includes shrubs, trees, flowers and bushes that grow over sidewalks obstructing pedestrian traffic.
Owners/occupants are ordered to trim back these different growths. If there is no compliance, it is turned over for
contract abatement. If the offensive vegetation is within the actual city or public right of way, the complaint is referred
to the Forestry Division of the Parks & Recreation Department. The Forestry Division removes the entire growth.

JUNK
Applies to any manufactured good, appliance, fixture, furniture, machinery, vehicle, personal property or any other
thing or part thereof, whether of value or valueless, that is demolished, discarded, dismantled, partially dismantled,
dilapidated, or so worn, deteriorated or in such a condition as to be generally unusable and/or inoperable in its existing
state. This shall include by the way of illustration only and without limitation, wood, used lumber, paper, glass, bottles,
rags, rubber, scrap metal, tin cans, scrap material, waste, concrete, rubble, boxes, crates, building materials or
machinery parts. If there is no compliance, contractor abatement is ordered after obtaining a Seizure Warrant signed
by a Municipal Court Judge. See "Seizure of Property".

UNLICENSED/INOPERABLE VEHICLES
Applies to vehicles on private property, (for vehicles on public roadways, please use the Parking Enforcement Online Complaint Form just click here)  anywhere on that property, be it front, side or rear. All vehicles must have a current license plate and be operable or removed from the property or stored within an enclosed building.

The one exception is a vehicle which is considered an antique (25 years or older), which if it is operable, it does not have to
be licensed and it may be stored anywhere on the property. A person may have one "Collector" or "Parts" vehicle that is
not operable, if it is screened from view from any adjacent street, alley or neighboring property and, ONLY if they have a
"like" vehicle.

If there is no compliance, a Seizure Warrant is obtained, signed by a Municipal Court Judge, and the vehicle is towed to the
Colorado Springs Police Impound Lot.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION
Inspection of trash removal trucks occurs on a yearly basis with fees paid to the City Clerk of a $30.00 license fee,
$50.00 per truck and a $15.00 application fee. A sticker is placed on the inside left window.

Sanitation covers trash, garbage, rubbish, tree limbs, animal droppings, etc. Animal droppings must be removed every
three days during warm weather with weekly removal during the winter. The Code Enforcement Officer has the discretion
to order more frequent removal based on the size and number of animals.

Trash and garbage must be stored in watertight/weatherproof containers at the side or rear yard except for scheduled
removal, which must be made at least weekly whether you hire a private contractor or haul it to the landfill or transfer station.

In 1997, an ordinance passed requiring multiple dwellings, that have dumpsters, build an enclosure; at least six feet high
and on three sides. Individual trash totes may be used, one per unit. This ordinance is currently being applied to wherever
there is a continual problem with overflowing/blowing trash. If there is no compliance, a contractor will build the enclosure
and the owner will be billed for the work.

Again, the owner is ultimately responsible for his/her own property. This applies to vacant land or lots that have illegal dumping.
Upon being unable to trace whom did the dumping, the owner is ordered to clean the property.
Non-compliance results in contractor abatement.
 

GRAFFITI
On graffiti violations, a brochure is given to the property owner, it explains the violation and includes a permission slip to
allow Workout, Ltd. to come out to the property and eradicate the graffiti. If the owner does not sign the permission slip
and does not want to take care of it himself or herself, a Notice and Order is issued. Non-compliance results in
contractor abatement.

MINIMUM HOUSING CODE
The Code Enforcement Unit provides enforcement of the Minimum Housing Code within the city limits of Colorado Springs.
These are more common sense items, the way we would all like to live, and can be as simple as a leaky faucet or as
serious as a collapsed ceiling due to a roof leak, raw sewage, no utilities or fire damage. There are approximately 25 items
that we inspect which includes rodent or insect infestation. Dwellings with two or more units are the responsibility of the
owner for all pest extermination. Single family residences, rental or not, become the occupant’s responsibility for
extermination, however on single residences we also inspect to order the filling of holes and/or cracks that may allow
the entry of rodents.

A housing complaint can be taken over the phone. Upon notification from the occupant, the assigned officer will conduct
an inspection of the property at a mutually scheduled time. Any noted violations, at the time of inspection, are referred
to the property owner and/or property manager in the form of a Notice and Order requiring abatement of the housing
violations within a specified time period. It is the officer’s discretion on the amount of time allowed for compliance.
It can range from two or three days for a plumbing/sewer leak to thirty days for less hazardous violations.

Please leave a contact telephone number if an appointment must be made with you to conduct an inspection,
otherwise the Code Enforcement Officer will respond at his/her earliest convenience.

RESIDENTIAL DWELLING FOUND TO HAVE UNSANITARY CONDITIONS INSIDE
Unsanitary conditions on the inside of a residential property may cause a Code Enforcement Officer to placard the property
as "Unlawful to Occupy". If the owner/occupant does not abate the conditions, they may be ordered to vacate the property.

RESIDENTIAL DWELLING FOUND TO BE OPEN, VACANT AND SUBJECT TO VANDALISM
Code Enforcement Officers placard the property as "Unlawful to Occupy". We can order a contractor to clean and board
up a dwelling on an emergency basis if it is a health or safety hazard, and terminate all or part of utilities to ensure it will
not be occupied until the minimum code is met.

THE UNIT RESPONDS TO ALL RESIDENTIAL FIRES TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE FIT TO BE OCCUPIED
AND PLACARD/CONDEMN IF NECESSARY AND MAY TERMINATE ALL OR PART OF THE UTILITIES.
Properties can be condemned (Placard) if housing violations constitute a health or safety hazard, such as a roof leak,
partial utilities or none at all, raw sewage or from numerous violations, which the owner has not abated, according to
the Notice and Order that is sent.

For more information on city code see  http://www.springspolice.com/ 

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