Commercial trucks in your neighborhood got you down?
Are you tired of weaving past big trucks as you drive or walk through your neighborhood? If so, you have some recourse: city ordinances prohibit semi trucks and large commercial vehicles such as tow trucks and dump trucks from parking in residential areas. Police officers can issue citations for semi trucks parked on residential streets, and Code Enforcement Inspectors can issue notices for commercial trucks improperly parked in residential areas. Violations can be reported to the Action Center at 297-2535 or online at www.okc.gov.
Yard parking is illegal
Not only is yard parking an eye sore, but it also depreciates the value of the City’s neighborhoods. It is a violation of City ordinances to park any type of vehicle on the front, side or back of your yard or vacant lot. Violations may be reported to the Action Center at 297-2535 or online at www.okc.gov. Code Enforcement Inspectors will check the reported location and issue citations if violations are found. The fine for the first violation is $10 and increases to $50 for a second offense.
Car broken down? Remove it from your property
Broken down cars and trucks can’t be legally stored on residential property. A vehicle is considered inoperable if there are at least two visible signs that it cannot be driven, such as severe collision damage, broken windows, flat or missing tires and expired tags. Violations may be reported to the Action Center at 297-2535 or online at www.okc.gov.
Code Enforcement Inspectors investigate these reports and if a vehicle is deemed inoperable, the property owner will receive a written notice to remove the vehicle within 10 business days. If the vehicle is not removed within that time, the City will hire a towing service to remove and store the vehicle at the ownerÕs expense. If the owner does not claim the vehicle within 30 days, the towing service may sell it without further notice.
High grass and weeds draw citizen ire, City action
The number one complaint from people across the City is about high grass and weeds in a neighbors yard. What is a high grass and weeds violation? According to state statute, grass is in violation when it reaches a height of 12 inches.
If you know of a City resident who is in violation of the high grass and weeds statute, you can call the Action Center at 297-2535. Be sure to let them know if the violation is in the front yard, back yard or both.
After the complaint is made to the Action Center, they send it to Neighborhood Services. The complaint is then assigned to an inspector who visits the property usually within 12 to 24 hours. It is important to keep in mind that inspectors must be able to see the violation in order to report it. They cannot look over a fence into a back yard to see high grass and weeds.
If you or another neighbor is willing to allow the inspector to view the violation from an adjacent back yard, please let them know. If the resident is found in violation, the inspector will leave a notice on the door or post a flag on the property. The inspector will also take photos of the notice and find out who owns the property. A notice is then mailed to the owner, usually within the first 36 hours. The owner has 10 working days to mow the yard.
The City is flexible if the owner calls and explains issues they are having with mowing the yard. If no contact is made and the problem is not corrected after 10 working days, the inspector will double check to make sure the property is still owned by the same person. If it is, the City will hire a contractor to mow the yard. Fees are $200 for administration to cover all the trips made to the property and the bill from the mowing contractor.
Leash law keeps dogs, people safe
In the City of Oklahoma City, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times outside of their home. This ordinance is in effect not only for the safety of the dogs, but the safety of other citizens as well. All dogs are also required to wear their rabies tags at all times, and the ordinance requires owners to dispose of pet waste when the pet is off their own property. If you would like to report a loose dog in your neighborhood, call the Action Center at 297-2535. Please give the address where the dog lives, where it is roaming loose and what type of dog it is.
Dogs are also not allowed to wade or swim in public waters, including Lake Hefner, Lake Overholser and Lake Stanley Draper. The only exception is when visiting the PAW Park, located at NW 73 and Grand Boulevard, where dogs are welcome to roam off their leash while inside the park gates and swim in the PAW Park pond. Owners in the PAW Park must clean up after their dogs, even though they are allowed to run free (M Code § 38-147 and 148).
