Property Maintenance Inspections

The City of Platteville Municipal Code has regulations dealing with the maintenance of private property. The rules are designed to set minimum standards for the maintenance of property and to prevent unsafe and unsightly conditions.  Properties which do not meet these minimum standards are considered to be in violation and a public nuisance.

Our Code Enforcement Staff conduct both proactive and reactive inspections to ensure compliance with these standards.  It is the goal of the program to draw the property owner's attention to any existing code violation which could have a negative impact on their property, their neighborhood, and the City of Platteville as a whole.  Through voluntary compliance and a spirit of personal responsibility, the majority of these violations are corrected.  The success of this program rests upon each resident, business owner and property owner, acting as a good neighbor by properly maintaining his/her property.  Only through compliance with the municipal codes and taking action when violations occur, can we work together to achieve the quality of life everyone wants to enjoy in Platteville.

Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the following summary of a few of the common code violations to ensure that your property is being properly maintained.

Buildings and Structures

1. Deteriorated wood or other siding materials, roofs, foundations or floors, peeling paint or lack of paint causing dry rot, warping or deterioration.  Dirty aluminum or vinyl siding.
2. Broken doors and windows, or buildings left in a state of partial construction.
3. Fences or retaining walls in a hazardous condition or in a state of disrepair.
4. Substantial deterioration of porches, landings, patios, stairways, or guardrails.
5. Broken or defective decorative elements of a building, structure or landscape area.

Yard and Landscape Areas

1. Overgrown grass, weeds, trees, or other plant materials to such a degree that it tends to depreciate the appearance of the neighborhood or blocks a public sidewalk.
2. Allowing the growth of noxious weeds.
3. Debris and litter not stored in trash receptacles, or interior furniture used outdoors.
4. Vehicles parked in the grass. 

Garbage and Recycling Collection

Garbage and recycling containers should be removed from the front yard by 5:30 p.m. on the day following collection. 

Address Numbers

Building address numbers should be present and easily visible from the street.  Failure to provide the numbers is not only a code violation, but also is a potential safety hazard if emergency personnel are unable to quickly locate the correct location when called. 

Consequences for Non-Compliance

After an inspection is made by a Code Enforcement Officer, you may be given a written notice to comply by a certain date.   If compliance is not obtained within the time frame given, or an extended period of time if provided by the inspector, a municipal citation may be issued. 

What you can do to help

The basis of the code enforcement program rests upon each of us acting as good neighbors.  We all have property rights that protect us; however, the term "Property Rights" also implies that a property owner has certain responsibilities.  No property within the City may be used or maintained in a manner which downgrades the value, use, enjoyment, or safety of one’s own, or surrounding property.

Each of us as citizens, property owners, and business owners in the City of Platteville, owe it to ourselves and to our neighbors to maintain our homes and businesses in a manner which has a positive effect on the overall appearance of our City.

Building Code (Chapter 23) - Click Here

Health Code (Chapter 5) - Click Here
 

For information on financial assistance with making repairs to your home click here.