Browse > Home / Code Enforcement / Code Enforcement Report

Code Enforcement Report

June 27, 2005

The full report can be downloaded here. (pdf)

On March 8, 2005, the Honorable Mayor Rob Franke commissioned a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to review proposed revisions to the City of Cedar Hill’s code enforcement ordinances. The revisions would create a comprehensive Property Maintenance Ordinance and Minimum Housing Standards. The Mayor appointed Wade Emmert, Council Member, to Chair the committee, and Daniel Haydin, Council Member, as Vice-Chair. Council Member Clifford Shaw also assisted.

The Committee was composed of representatives of homeowners associations, public improvement districts, Keep Cedar Hill Beautiful, and other interested citizens, totaling approximately 35 members. City staff included Johnny Kendro, Stacey Graves, and Patty Bushart.

The Committee was charged with the following responsibilities:

  1. To review and make recommendations regarding the proposed code revisions;
  2. To accept comments regarding the advisability of the proposed code revisions; and
  3. To determine if pertinent code enforcement issues were adequately addressed by the proposed code revisions.

The Committee unanimously supports the comprehensive Property Maintenance Ordinance and Minimum Housing Standards.

The Committee also supports the following initiatives:

  1. Prompt resolution of violations. The Committee expressed a desire that the Code Enforcement department diligently monitor all unresolved violations and actively manage each case to bring violations into compliance in an expeditious manner.
  2. Increased customer service. The Committee expressed a desire that citizens who make complaints regarding code violations be kept updated as to the status of the violation.
  3. Focus on highly visible violations. The Committee expressed a desire that code enforcement efforts under the proposed ordinances initially be focused on highly visible areas in the City.
  4. Escalating fines for unresolved and repeat violations. The Committee supported an escalating fine structure in which the fines for code violations would increase when a single violation goes unresolved despite prior citations and when the same violation is habitually repeated.
  5. Increased education efforts. The Committee found helpful a pamphlet that was provided during the initial meeting which provided a brief overview of common code enforcement issues. They felt a similar pamphlet provided to homeowners regarding the new ordinances would be helpful in raising awareness of the new ordinances and avoiding some of the most common violations.
  6. Lower maximum grass height. The Committee recommended decreasing grass height limits from the current restriction of 12 inches, to a maximum height of 8 inches.
  7. Increase fence standards to required maintenance of fence posts and slats.
  8. Prohibit temporary signage in favor of a kiosk-style system.

Similar Posts

Comments