Types of City Code Violations
Basketball Goals
Title 7, Section 71.031 (Code of Ordinances)
No person to any extent, entirely or in part, shall obstruct or encumber any portion of any street, alley, sidewalk or right-of-way in the City with anything whatsoever in any manner whatsoever, including by way of exampled, but not limited to the following: vegetation, poles, posts, lumber, boxes or fences.
*Basketball goals overhanging the street or alleyway or placed to obstruct the sidewalk are prohibited in those place locations by this section of the Carrollton Code of Ordinances.
You may click here to review the ordinance regarding placement of items in the city right-of-way.
Certificate of Occupancy
Article XXX, Section A (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance)
All land, buildings, structures or appurtenances thereto which are located within the City of Carrollton, and which are hereafter used, occupied, erected, altered or converted shall be used, occupied, erected, altered or converted in compliance with the provisions of this ordinance; the zoning regulations of the district in which such land, structure, use or occupancy is located; the building codes, and all other applicable codes and ordinances of the City of Carrollton.
Except for any single family, duplex or townhouse dwelling, no use shall hereafter be established, and no building hereafter erected or structurally altered, nor any tenant or lease space, shall be used, occupied or changed in use, tenant, or occupant until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Building Official stating that the use, building or proposed use of a building or premises complies with the building codes and provisions of this ordinance.
A record of all Certificates of Occupancy shall be kept on file in the office of the Building Official, copies of which shall be furnished upon request.
No Certificates of Occupancy for any building shall be issued before application has been made, and a fee paid in an amount established by the City Council, for a Certificate of Occupancy.
The Building Official may, in writing, suspend or revoke a Certificate of Occupancy issued under the provisions of this ordinance whenever the Certificate is issued in error, or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or when it is determined that the building, structure or use is in violation of any provision of this ordinance or the provisions of any other ordinance of the City of Carrollton.
Rules and regulations for Certificates of Occupancy or zoning applications can be reviewed by clicking here.
Dangerous Building Abatement
The City of Carrollton enforces the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings as modified by Ordinance 3233. All buildings or portions thereof which are determined after inspection to be dangerous as defined in this code are hereby declared a public nuisance and must be either repaired, rehabilitated, or demolished in accordance with the procedures established within this code.
A public nuisance is defined as:
Early Placement of Trash
Title 5, Section 50.17 (Code of Ordinances)
A person commits an offense if he places refuse in any approved container which he neither owns nor leases, when he does not have the permission of the owner or lessee of said container.
Title 5, Section 50.24 (Code of Ordinances)
Residential containers shall be placed on or near the curbline or next to the alley line, as designated by the City. Residential containers shall be placed at the location designated for collection not earlier than 6 pm of the evening before, nor later than 6:30 am of the resident's collection day. Residential containers collected from the street shall be removed to a place behind the front of the residence and be maintained within five (5') feet of the residence. Residential containers colected from the alley shall be removed to an area closer to the residence than the alley way.
Title 5, Section 50.25 (Code of Ordinances)
A person commits an offense if he places a residential container or recycling bin on or near the curbline or alley line prior to 6 pm of the evening before the resident's collection day. A person commits an offense if he leaves a residential container or recycling bin on or near the curbline or alley line after 9 am on the day after the resident's collection day.
Click here to review the ordinance for placement and use of solid waste containers.
Fence Maintenance
Title 9, Section 92.10 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of land to maintain a fence as follows:
To review the ordinance relating to fence maintenance click here.
Garage Sales
Title 9, Section 92.30 (Code of Ordinances)
Garage sales shall be permitted in all residential districts. It is a nuisance and shall be deemed unlawful for any person to maintain or conduct a garage sale in violation of these provisions:
Click here to review the ordinance relating to Garage Sales.
High Grass and Weeds
Title 9, Section 95.02 (Code of Ordiances)
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property or a portion thereof, occupied or unoccupied, within the City to permit grass, weeds, brush or unsightly vegetation to grow thereon to a height greater than ten (10") inches.
Title 9, Section 95.03 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be the duty of any owner or occupant of any real property to cut and remove all such grass, weeds, brush, tree limbs or unsightly vegetation.The limits of the responsibility shall be as follows:
To review the standards for high grass and weeds in the ordinance please click here.
Home Occupations
Title 9, Section 92.20 (Code of Ordinances)
Definition: Home Occupation - A business activity customarily carried on in the home by a member of the occupant's family without structural alterations in the building or any of its rooms, without the installation or outside storage of any machinery, equipment or materials other than that customary to the normal household operations, without the employment of persons not residing in the home, without the use of a sign to advertise the occupation, and which does not cause the generation of additional traffic in the street.
Home occupations shall be permitted in all residential zones, provided the home occupation is clearly and obviously subordinate to the main use or dwelling unit for residential purposes. Home occupations shall be conducted wholly within the primary structure on the premises. It is a nuisance and shall be deemed unlawful for any person to maintain a home occupation in violation of the following provisions:
To review rules and regulations for Home Occupations click here.
Itinerant Vendors
Article XXX, Section A - Certificate of Occupancy (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance)
Except for any single-family, duplex or townhouse dwelling, no use shall hereafter be established, and no building hereafter erected or structurally altered, nor any tenant or lease space, shall be used, occupied or changed in use, tenant, or occupant until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Building Official stating that the use, building or proposed use of a building or premises complies with the building codes and the provisions of this ordinance.
Without proper permits issued by the City of Carrollton Building Inspections Department no person(s) or company may set up a a business on a commercially zoned tract of land. Any legal business that allows an illegal use of their property by an itinerant vendor violates their certificate of occupancy and may be fined for the violation.
Junked & Inoperable Vehicles
Title 9, Section 90.19 (Code of Ordinances)
An inoperable vehicle, inoperable motor vehicle or junked vehicle that is visible from a public place or public right-of-way and /or is considered detrimental to the safety and welfare of the general public tends to reduce the value of private property, invites vandalism, creates a fire hazard, is an attractive nuisance creating a hazard to the health and safety of minors, produces urban blight adverse to the maintenance and continuing development of the City, and is declared to be a public nuisance.
It shall be unlawful for any person, owner, agent, occupant or anyone having supervision or control of any real property within the City to maintain a public nuisance as determined under this section.
It shall be unlawful for any person, owner, agent, occupant or anyone having supervisions or control of any real property within the City to have more than two inoperable vehicles, inoperable motor vehicles or junked vehicles upon their property.
Any inoperable vehicle, inoperable motor vehicle, or junked vehicle shall be screened from any public place or public right-of-way by means of a solid opaque fence or shall be enclosed within a building. In no case shall any cover placed over a vehicle constitute adequate screening.
An inoperable vehicle, inoperable motor vehicle, or junked vehicle or vehicle part may be disposed of by removal to a scrap yard, demolisher or any suitable site.
It shall be be construed that a vehicle that is not demonstrated to be operable upon request of the Designated City Official is an inoperable vehicle.
An inoperable motor vehicle that remains inoperable for more than 30 consecutive days becomes a junked vehicle.
Title 9, Section 90.20 (Code of Ordinances)
On Private Property. Upon complaint or upon his own initiative, the Designated City Official (DCO) may initiate appropriate official action to remove and abate a public nuisance in the nature of a junked vehicle. Whenever a public nuisance exists on private property, the DCO shall notify the last known registered owner of the junked vehicle, any lienholder of record, and the owner or occupant of the private premises on which the public nuisance exists, that the nuisance exists, that it must be removed and abated within ten (10) days of the receipt of the notice. The notice hereinabove described shall be sent by certified mail with a five day return receipt requested. If the notice is returned undelivered by the post office, further official action to abate the violation shall be continued to a date of not less than ten days after the date of return.
On Public Property. Whenever a public nuisance in the nature of a junked vehicle exists on public property, the DCO shall notify the last known registered owner of the junked motor vehicle, any lienholder of record and the owner or occupant of the public premises or the owner or occupant of the premises adjacent to the public right-of-way on which the public nuisance exists, that the nuisance exists, that it must be removed and abated within ten days of the receipt of such notice, or that a request for a hearing must be made by said owner or occupant before the expiration of the ten day period from the receipt of the notice. The notice hereinabove described shall be sent by certified mail with a five day return receipt requested. If the notice is returned undelivered by the post office, further official action to abate the nuisance shall be continued to a date not less than ten days after the date of the return.
Definitions
Junked Vehicle: A vehicle that is self-propelled and:;
(A) Does not have lawfully attached to it: an unexpired license plat; or, a valid motor vehicle inspection certificate; and, (B) is: wrecked, dismantled or partially dismantled, or discarded; or inoperable and has remained inoperable for more than 72 consecutive hours, if the vehicle is on public property; or 30 consecutive days, if the vehicle is on private property
(A) Does not have lawfully attached to it:
(B) is:
Inoperable Motor Vehicle: Is a motor vehicle that does not have lawfully affixed either an unexpired license plate or a valid motor vehicle safety inspection certificate, or a vehicle that is not in operating condition because it is wrecked, dismantled, partially dismantled, dilapidated or has one or more flat tires.
Inoperable Vehicle: A vehicle without a motor, including but not limited to trailers, campers, camper shells, and wheeled towing frames, that is not in operating condition because it is wrecked, dismantled, partially dismantled, dilapidated or has one or more flat tires.
Click here to review the city ordinance relating to junked/inoperable vehicles.
Landscaping Commercial Property
Article XXV (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance)
It is the intent of Article XXV of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to establish minimum requirements for the installation and maintenance of landscaping and buffering elements and other means of site improvement on developed commercial property to enhance the community's ecological, environmental, and aesthetic qualities, while at the same time allowing for design flexibility.
Failure to maintain landscaping and buffering on commercial property will lead to code enforcement actions taking place to bring the property into compliance with Article XXV.
To review the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance then please click here.
Tree and Brush Limbs
Title 9, Section 95.02 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property within the City to to suffer or permit tree limbs, brush or unsightly vegetation to grow within one foot of the public street or alley adjacent to that private property.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property within the City to suffer or permit limbs, brush and other vegetation existing above a public street or alley to hang lower than 12 feet above the alley, or street pavement or 7 feet above the sidewalk and other rights-of-way.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property within the city to suffer or permit limbs, brush or other vegetation to obstruct any gate, garage door, or any doorway on private property.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property within the city to usffer or permit tree limbs, brush, or other vegetation to hang lower than ten (10') feet above the driveway.
It shall be unlawful for an owner or occupant to allow the existence of tree stumps, dead trees, dead bushes, dead shrubs or other dead vegetation on residential property.
To review the ordinace relating to maintenance of tree's and bushes click here.
Maintenance of Commercial Parking Areas
Title 9, Section 92.50 (Code of Ordinances)
It is a nuisance and shall be deemed unlawful for any owner or lessor occupant of a premises including, but not limited to, shopping centers, retail establishments, clubs, apartments or office complexes, warehouses, and the like which have vehicle access, parking areas and pedestrian walkways, to maintain such areas or cause such areas to fall into disrepair, either by accident, negligence or purpose, so that the whole or any part thereof becomes a danger to life, limb, or property.
It shall also be unlawful for any such owner, lessor or occupant to allow the effective use of such areas to become restricted to any degree. Proper maintenance shall provide for the drainage of storm runoff without damage to the adjoining property, removal of other liquid wastes and solid debris, removal of dirt deposits and other foreign substances and removal of tree limbs, brush or other vegetation hanging lower than seven (7) feet above sidewalks or lower than twelve (12) feet above driveways and parking areas.. Fire lanes, parking spaces and pedestrian walkways must be clearly delineated. The surfaces of such parking areas and walkways must be preserved in good condition.
Title 9, Section 92.52 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be the duty, and be considered unlawful to neglect such duty, for the owner, tenant, or occupant of such premises to maintain said areas in good condition. Should the area at any time become less effective due to insufficient maintenance, it shall be required for the owner or tenant to correct such inadequacies or dangerous conditions within such time as the City may direct.
Click here to review the ordinance for parking maintenance.
Parking Requirements
Title 7, Section 71.001 (Code of Ordinances)
No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon or over any curb of any street within the city. It is a defense to prosecution that the operation of a motor vehicle over the curb is the sole method of ingress and egress to any place; however, that curb will be so maintained that the same will not be damaged by the operation of the motor vehicle over the curb. It is a defense to prosecution that the motor vehicle is operated by the city or a public utility francised by the city in the maintenance of its plant.
Title 9, Section 92.40 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be unlawful for a person to park or store or allow another to park or store any vehicle in excess of 8' 6" in width or 40' in length, including recreational vehicles, travel trailers, boats or boat trailers, in any residential zoned district or the Interim Holding district.
It shall be unlawful for a person to park or store or allow another to park or store a recreational vehicle, travel trailer, boat or boat trailer on a public thoroughfare in any residential zoned district or the Interim Holding district.
It shall be unlawful for a person to park or store or allow another to park or store a vehicle in the front yard of any surface other than an improved surface.
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or store or allow another to park or store a vehicle in the side yard or in the rear yard of any lot, upon any surface other than an improved surface unless such vehicle is concealed from view from all points along public streets and alleys by:
It shall be unlawful for any owner of a residential lot to allow a driveway, improved parking surface or combination of the two to cover more than 50 percent of the front yard of the lot.
It shall be unlawful for a person to park or allow the parking of a vehicle on private property such that the vehicle extends into any right-of-way or public easement.
It shall be unalwful for a person to park or allow the parking of a vehicle in part or whole upon any sidewalk.
It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of a residence to park or allow the parking of more than three vehicles owned by or under the control of that owner or occupant to be parked at the same time on any public street adjacent to that residence.
It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of a residence to park or allow the parking of a vehicle owned by or under the control of that owner or occupant to be parked at a location on the public street that does not adjoin the property on which that residence is located between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
A moratorium is hereby delcared for parking on residential streets as outlined as follows:
It shall be unlawful for a person to use a vehicle for the storage of trash and debris or for housekeeping, living, or sleeping quarters not normally associated with the vehicle.
It shall be unlawful for for any person to fail to maintain all improved parking surfaces in good and safe condition, and free of any defects affecting the use, safety, appearance or drainage of the surface or of the adjoining property.
You may click here to review the requisites for parking.
Oversized & Commercial Vehicles In Residential Areas
Title 9, Section 92.42 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any truck-tractor, road-tractor, semi-trailer, bus, truck or trailer with a rated capacity in excess of one ton upon property within any area zoned as either a single-family, two family or multiple-family dwelling district, according to the Zoning Ordinance 1470 of the the City. The provision shall not prevent the parking or standing of the above described vehicles in such zoned areas for the purpose of expeditiously loading and unloading passengers, freight or merchandise.
It shall be unlawful for a person to park a commercial vehicle on any residential public street at any time unless actively engaged in the expeditious loading and unloading of materials or passengers, or in connection with an approved construction project or work performed on property or properties during daylight hours.
Only the following motor vehicles shall be allowed to stand or park on any residential public street:
You may review residential standards for parking oversized vehicles by clicking here.
Sign Code
Title 15, Chapter 151 (Code of Ordinances)
Prohibited Signs and Activities
More information on the sign code and the restrictions it imposes may be found in the Carrollton Code of Ordinances under Title 15, Chapter 151. This page does not include all of the restrictions or prohibited actions of the sign code. You can review the Sign Code by clicking here.
Substandard Housing
Title 9, Section 96 (Code of Ordinances)
The City of Carrollton enforces codes relating to substandard housing problems. Violations addressed under this code include:
The Housing Code also addresses Single & Multi-Family rental property, Occupancy Load and Overcrowding in Single-Family homes.
Click here to review the Housing Code
Trash & Debris
Title 9, Section 95.04 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property or a portion thereof, occupied or unoccupied, within the City, to keep, store or permit the accumulation upon the property of refuse, trash and debris that is visible from a public street.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property or a portion thereof, occupied or unoccupied, within the City to keep, store or permit the accumulation upon the property of refuse, trash and debris that creates an unsanitary condition likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rodents, vermin or disease carrying pests.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any property or portion thereof, occupied or unoccupied, with the City to cause, permit, suffer or allow any unsanitary condition, including but not limited to standing water in any excavation, container, swimming pool or spa, likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rodents, vermin or disease carrying pests.
It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or allow any trash and debris to be placed, thrown or otherwise deposited onto any parcel of land, street, alley or sidewalk or other place in the city.
Allegation and evidence of a culpable mental state is not required for proof of an offense defined by this section.
Title 9, Chapter 95.05 (Code of Ordinances)
It shall be the duty of any owner or occupant of any real property, to remove all such refuse, trash and debris as defined in 95.04.
Garbage: Decayable waste, including vegetable, animal and fish offal and animal and fish carcasses, but does not include sewage, body waste or an industrial byproduct.
Refuse: Garbage, rubbish, paper and other decayable and nondecayable waste.
Rubbish: Nondecayable waste.
Trash and Debris: All manner of refuse including, but not limited to: mounds of dirt; piles of leaves, grass and weed clippings; paper trash; useless fragments of building material; rubble; furniture other than furniture designed for outside use; useless household items and appliances; items of salvage, such as scrap metal and wood; old barrels; old tires; objects that hold water for an extended time; tree and brush trimmings and other miscellaneous wastes or rejected matter.
Unsightly Matter: Shall include weeds, garbage, refuse, rubbish, trash and debris, and objectionable or unsightly vegetation.
To review the Unsightly Matter Ordinance please click here.
Zoning Violations
The Neighborhood Integrity Program enforces the City of Carrollton Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Due to the extensive nature of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance we are unable to review every type of zoning violation that may occur that code enforcement pursues. However, if you wish to review the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance then please click here.
The primary enforcement issues dealing with zoning that generally arise are for itinerant vendors, illegal home occupations, and certificate of occupancy violations.
Commercial Property Maintenance
The City of Carrollton enforces codes relating to the maintenance of commercial and business properties. Violations addressed under this code include:
To review the Commercial Property Maintenance Code please click here.
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