Property Maintenance
Your Responsibility
Many area residents do a good job keeping up the appearance of their homes and properties although, at times, there are properties located in Glendale that have perhaps seen better days! Whether you have lived in Glendale all your life, or have just moved into the City, your responsibilities as a property owner, lessee or tenant go far beyond just cutting the grass and taking out the trash. In fact, many residents are not aware that a Property Maintenance Code even exists.About the Code
This code was developed to prevent and correct the existence of adverse conditions and to establish certain standards relating to the appearance, maintenance, safety and repair of all buildings and lands within the City. Chapter 15.5 of the Glendale Municipal Code requires property owners to provide an adequate level of maintenance to each property to insure they do not become a considerable blight upon surrounding areas.All too often, situations arise where one party grows tired of looking at a neighbor's "ugly yard" or dilapidated building. Tensions may get high, patience finally runs out and the City is contacted for help. Conditions such as peeling paint, exterior storage, unlicensed or in-operable vehicles, various recreation type vehicles including, trailers, campers, boats, etc. illegally parked or stored, unscreened refuse/recycling areas and containers without lids, long grass and weeds, dead or diseased trees, deteriorated siding, windows, doors, fences, and animal feces are some examples of direct violations.
Enforcing the Code
The establishment of this code allows for strict enforcement of property maintenance issues. For the most part, residents quickly correct any violations prior to the imposed compliance deadline. At other times, there are situations where residents refuse or fail to comply with written orders often resulting in court-imposed fines of $25 per day from the date of the first violation notice. Other forfeitures may also be imposed for each violation of the code.These civil forfeitures can add up quickly. Additionally, should the owner, occupant or agent of a property fail to take corrective action, the City, at its discretion, may undertake such action of which all costs and fees shall be charged against the owner and or their property. Property owners are strongly urged to maintain their buildings, lawns and exterior areas regularly and diligently. Residents should consider how the lack of proper maintenance affects not only their neighbor's property value, but theirs as well.
A pro-active approach to property maintenance will help to avoid complaints.