Jack Reyome is our Code Enforcement Officer.
We all want our neighborhoods to look their best and our property value to stay high. The Town has a Code Enforcement officer to insure residences, businesses and other property is in compliance with all of our ordinances.
The Code Enforcement Officer reports to the Griffith Police Department, and can issue code violation warnings and citations ("tickets").
Below are the most common ordinance/code violations. Note that in several of the descriptions that follow, lengthy ordinances have been summarized and/or comments added. If you have questions or would like to read a specific ordinance, please stop by the Town Hall during normal business hours.
"Junk Vehicle" (Ordinance 26-76):... any vehicle, or part, that is on public or private property that does not display a current valid license plate. If your car has a flat tire or cannot be operated under its own power, it would be considered a "Junk Vehicle" under the ordinance. If a vehicle has been left on public property continually for more than 3 days, or been left on private property for more than 48 hours without consent of the property owner, it also would be considered a "Junk Vehicle", and can be both ticketed and towed if not corrected. There is a misconception that you can have (store) a car, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, trailer, etc. in your back yard or garage and never buy license plates for it. That is incorrect --- all must be registered with the State of Indiana, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and license plates must be properly attached and displayed."Boats, Camper, Recreational Vehicles, Trailers, et al" (Ordinance 2002-32):
no recreational vehicles, motor vehicle carriers, motor homes, boats, boat trailers, recreational equipment, recreational equipment trailers, and/or trailers shall be parked or stored in any front yard, on any street, alley, lot or beyond the nearest portion of the main structure to a street in a residential district except in a garage or carport. However, the above items may be parked anywhere on residential premises for not more than 24 hours during loading or unloading. Under no circumstances shall the above items be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or on any location not approved for such use."Parking In Yards" (Ordinance 74-189):
no vehicle, except for those provided under Ordinance No. 2002-32 amending ordinance § 86-91(1), may be parked in a front yard, side yard, rear yard or courtyard other than on a designated or paved driveway in a residential district."Grass/Weed Ordinance" (Ordinance 26-53):
any weed or rank vegetation that is growing absent of regular maintenance by the property owner and is growing higher than 6 inches high."Garage/Yard Sales" (Ordinance 2001-6):
a resident or insitution shall be allowed to hold no more than two (2) sales on the premises for no more than three (3) consecutive days per sale, in any calendar year. Signage of sale shall be limited to one accessory sign not to exceed nine (9) square feet in size, and shall not be displayed until the day of sale and removed upon expiration of sale permit. A permit is required for each sale. You can obtain the permit at the Town Hall and there is no charge/fee for the permit. You are not allowed to post yard sale/garage sale signs on other property."Satellite TV Dishes/Antenna" (Ordinance 2002-37):
no more than one satellite dish may be located on a lot or parcel, and it must be mounted directly to a structure (the house, building or accessory building). The dish shall be no more than thirty (30) inches in diameter and shall retain the original manufacturer's color."Public nuisances; maintaining a nuisance" (Ordinance 2002-33):
whoever erects, constructs, continues, causes, suffers, permits, keep, or maintains, within the corporate limits of the town, anything or any condition whatever, which may generate or promote disease, or is a breeding ground for insects or vermin, is an attractive nuisance, or is any way injurious to the health; or whoever causes or suffers any firewood, scrap wood, limbs, branches, trash or noxious substance to be collected or remain in any place within the corporate limits of the town, to the damage, prejudice, or discomfort of others or the public or creates a breeding ground for insects or vermin shall be deemed guilty of maintaining a nuisance. In a residential district no materials including, but not limited to firewood, scrap wood, limbs, branches, compost, composters, papers, bottles, tires or similar substances, shall be stacked, piled or stored beyong the nearest portion of the building's foundation/footing to a street. In a residential district no materials including, but not limited to firewood, scrap wood, limbs, branches, compost, composters, papers, bottles, tires or similar substances, shall be stacked, piled or stored to a height greater than six (6) feet from ground level or the height of the fence along the property, whichever is lower, and all such materials must be stacked, piled or stored at least six (6) inches off the ground.
