There are often misconceptions regarding how code enforcement is processed in the City of Lennox. The official City of Lennox’s Code Enforcement Policies & Procedures are available for viewing on the website here. Below is a summary of the procedure that the Code Official uses for building and code violations:
Official complaints are either received by City Hall or seen in person by the Code Official or another City employee. The City does not take any complaints read on social media seriously until they are sent directly to the Code Official or City Hall. City Hall should be the first step for any questions or concerns. All complaints received by the City are kept as anonymously as possible, unless they are needed to be revealed in a court of law or for other legal reasons. If you have a question or concern about how code enforcement is done, please reach out to City Hall or to the me directly.
1. Typically, a courtesy (warning) letter is sent to the property owner when a code violation is seen either by the Code official or if a complaint is received by City Hall. No fines are issued at this point if this is a first-time offense. The exception to this is if the property in question has already received one or more courtesy letters, then a fine may be imposed.
a. In this courtesy letter, the ordinance violation is listed as well as a deadline to correct the violation. This deadline can vary from (24) hours for snow removal off of sidewalk, to (5) days for tall grass/weeds and (14) days for everything else. Extra time is usually given due to the delay in the postal service mail.
b. The Code Official’s contact information is included with every letter. It is also available on the City website.
2. After the deadline has passed, the Code Official verifies if the violation has been corrected.
a. If it has been corrected, then the matter is closed.
b. If it remains, a second letter with a fine (amount determined by City Council) is sent. Another deadline is given to correct the violation.
i. The fine amount varies, but the most common fine is $75 per offense. The City can also impose a $500/day fine for building without a permit per Zoning Ordinance Chapter 1.05 and SDCL 9-19-3. However, this fine is very rarely used and would only be issued after repeated attempts to have the property owner obtain a building permit.
3. After the second deadline has passed, the Code Official again verifies that the violation has been corrected.
a. If corrected and any fines issued are paid, the matter is closed.
b. If the violation still remains, legal action is then taken to correct the violation, and any costs will be filed with the County. Any unpaid fines will be turned over to small claims court or collections.
One thing to note is that the City of Lennox, and especially the Code Official, stresses the importance of communication. Letters are the primary form of communication for code violations, but email, phone, or in-person are used as well. It is highly encouraged for residents to reach out with questions or if they need extra time. Please reach out before the deadline to avoid any fines.
Thank you,
Kyle Christensen
Building / Code Official
(605) 681-4552
codes@hartfordsd.us