The following policies are for the enforcement of its laws and regulations, as contained in the City Code of Ordinances. These policies are provided to guide staff of the Sylvester Code Enforcement Department in the identification and abatement of code violations, and to educate the public about the City’s code enforcement procedures.

The City respects the desire of all residents and business owners to enjoy their property. The City also believes that responsible use of private property includes respect for community values, as contained in the City Code of Ordinances. In order to assure that these values are upheld, the City Code of Ordinances will be enforced according to the following principles.

• The City will enforce its ordinances based on the violation, not the violator. The focus of our code enforcement is on the nuisance activity or structure, without regard to the source of the complaint or the nature or character of the violator.

• The City will maintain the confidentiality of the source of any complaint. The City will enforce confirmed violations based on the idea that they are violations against the City, not against a neighbor or other individual parties.

• The City will accept anonymous reports of violations when the violation can be observed from the public right-of-way. Reports concerning violations inside a building or not visible from the public right-of-way will require a written complaint with the reporting party’s name and phone number included.

• The City seeks compliance first and foremost. Enforcement efforts are directed at providing opportunities for solving problems and eliminating violations, not punishing people.

• When sufficient opportunity for eliminating the nuisance has been provided, but no significant results obtained, the City will aggressively pursue relief in the courts, including civil and criminal remedies.

• The City is aware that age or infirmity may hamper the violator’s ability to effect corrections according to a rigid schedule. A flexible approach to obtaining compliance will be considered when these conditions are present.

• Health & safety violations are given the highest priority so that human life and property are protected without delay. Violations of ‘general welfare’ rules will be addressed at a second level of attention, allowing reasonable solutions to be implemented in reasonable time. The following table is a guide.

Resources

For a quick look at the guidelines for exterior signage in Sylvester please read.

For information about stormwater causes and consequences please read.

For Litter Survey data results please read.

Phone: (229) 776-5717