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The Office of Code Enforcement
The Office of Code Enforcement conducts inspections of residential and commercial
properties based on observation or complaints.
City ordinances, the County Housing Code and Zoning Ordinances are enforced.
See also Basic Code Enforcement Guidelines
Licensing
The Office of Code Enforcement issues
- City Business Licenses,
- Rental Licenses for single family homes and multi-family homes and condominiums,
- temporary sales licenses,
- commercial refuse haulers' licenses and
- alcoholic beverage sales licenses.
Inquiries may be directed to the office at 301-985-5015 concerning all construction
which may require other permits
or be subject to certain zoning regulations.
Enforcement
Code Enforcement also cites and impounds inoperable or unlicensed vehicles
and enforces property maintenance ordinances.
See also Basic Code Enforcement Guidelines
The Most Common Complaint: Property Maintenance
The Office of Code Enforcement receives complaints daily concerning residents
who have not properly maintained their property.
The most common complaint is about high grass and weeds
or trash and debris in someone's yard.
The Hyattsville City Code clearly states that no owner or occupant
can allow their grass and weeds to reach a height of 12 inches, or
allow construction material, auto parts, or trash to accumulate on their property.
Property Maintenance ordinances include
- removal of snow and ice and
- proper maintenance of residential and commercial trash containers.
If a violation has occured, there are several things that the Office of Code Enforcement will do.
- First, an inspector will issue a violation notice to the property owner.
- The property owner then has five days to cut the grass and weeds or remove
the trash and debris to bring the property into compliance.
- If the property owner fails to correct the problem within this time period,
the City will cut the grass or remove the debris and charge the cost
of this work to the property owner.
- If the owner does not pay, the City has the right to add the cost of the clean-up
to the owner's property taxes.
For further information, please contact codeenf@hyattsville.org
or phone 301-985-5015.
See also Basic Code Enforcement Guidelines
The Second Most Common Complaint: Vehicles
The second most common complaint made to the Code Enforcement Office concerns
junked or unregistered motor vehicles on private property.
The Hyattsville City Code defines a junked vehicle as
any partially dismantled, or substantially damaged vehicle,
or one that is inoperable, unlicensed or any vehicle bearing expired license plates.
Vehicles that are in this condition cannot remain on private property unless
stored in an enclosed garage.
Of course, there are some exceptions to this ordinance such as car dealerships,
auto repair shops, body repair shops, and towing company storage compounds.
If an inspector receives a complaint about a junked vehicle on private property
or observes one during the course of their duties, there are several things that will be done:
- The inspector will first place an orange warning sticker on the windshield of the vehicle.
The sticker is to notify the vehicle owner that they have 48 hours to either remove the
vehicle from the property or take whatever action is necessary to bring the vehicle into
compliance with the City Code.
- If, after the 48-hour period has expired and the vehicle has not been moved
or brought into compliance, the inspector is authorized to impound the vehicle.
The cost of impoundment is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.
Extensions of the 48 Hours
We do understand however that there may be times when a vehicle may qualify as
junked under the Code, but for one reason or another the owner needs more than 48 hours
to either bring the vehicle into compliance or dispose of the vehicle.
In these cases, the Chief of Police is able to grant an extension of the 48-hour time
limit for a period not to exceed 30 days.
The Chief of Police can grant this extension only after receiving
a written request from the vehicle owner.
After the 30-day extension expires, an inspector will check to make sure the vehicle
has been brought into compliance.
See also Basic Code Enforcement Guidelines
For further information, please contact codeenf@hyattsville.org
or phone 301-985-5015.
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