Latest news with #codeenforcement
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
St. Joseph taps Nathan Pare as new planning and community development director
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — City officials announced Tuesday that they have hired their next director of planning and community development. During a public work session on Tuesday, City Manager Mike Schumacher introduced Nathan Pare as the City's next director, taking over for former director Clint Thompson. Pare comes to St. Joseph after working in Kansas City government for the last 29 years, most recently as a Division Manager with the city. Nathan has a strong background in code enforcement, Schumacher said during the meeting. Schumacher said Pare will be a strong asset for the city in a number of areas, particularly code enforcement, a top priority the city is working to improve following the results of a community survey, which was launched this spring. Approximately 50% of survey respondents said they were dissatisfied with the city's code enforcement.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Homeowner Says Neighbor Reported 8-Inch Grass 'Because It Looks Bad' — Now She's Facing A $5,000 Fine Despite No Rule On Height
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. A Florida homeowner says she's been slapped with a potential $5,000 fine after a neighbor reported her for having grass that was "too tall"—specifically 8 inches. The catch? There's no actual law about grass height in her area. "It's just dirt and sand," she wrote in a Reddit post. "The grass my builder put in is bad, so it only grows in certain areas." The homeowner, who lives outside an homeowners association, said this was her second violation, and city code enforcement warned that a third could escalate to the Code Enforcement Board and result in a fine of up to $5,000. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can And while the code enforcement officer left a violation notice, the city couldn't point to any clear rule she broke. According to her, there's no defined maximum height for grass—just vague wording about how it looks compared to neighboring properties. "It's based on the officer's judgment," she said. "They told me they base violations on comparisons to my neighbor's lawn." One Redditor replied with what many were thinking: "Wow, they reported you just because it looked bad? I have neighbors who let their weeds overtake their lawn and mine and still wouldn't call." The first violation happened during a stretch when her lawnmower had been recalled, and the second came during a period of declining health. She said she figured as long as it stayed under "a ruler length," she'd be fine. Trending: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Now, she's exploring a legal workaround: converting her yard into a certified Florida native habitat, which is protected under Florida's SB 82 (2019) and other landscaping laws. These protect edible gardens, wildflowers, and native plant restoration efforts from local government restrictions. "One user recommended I convert my front lawn into a wildlife habitat," she wrote. "I want to get written confirmation from the city and put up a sign citing the law." She's also planning to speak with the zoning supervisor after being transferred by a confused staff member who had never heard of native habitat certification. In a follow-up, she thanked commenters for their support: "I didn't think anyone would care, but I'm so glad I reached out to this sub. You restore more of my faith in humanity." , In Florida, cities can legally fine homeowners for overgrown grass—if their local code defines a clear violation. But when no height is specified, enforcement becomes subjective. In one case reported by the Tampa Bay Times, a federal court upheld $30,000 in fines against a Dunedin homeowner for tall grass, though he planned to appeal. While fines like these can hold up legally, vague ordinances—like the one this homeowner describes—leave room for challenge, especially when violations are based on appearance rather than measurable rules. It's one thing to get fined by the city. It's another when the call is coming from just down the block. Whether it's lawn height, flowerbeds, or the wrong shade of yellow paint, the real challenge isn't just code enforcement—it's waking up each day next to someone who weaponizes it. Read Next: With Point, you can This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to . Image: Shutterstock This article Florida Homeowner Says Neighbor Reported 8-Inch Grass 'Because It Looks Bad' — Now She's Facing A $5,000 Fine Despite No Rule On Height originally appeared on
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Homeowner Says Neighbor Reported 8-Inch Grass 'Because It Looks Bad' — Now She's Facing A $5,000 Fine Despite No Rule On Height
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. A Florida homeowner says she's been slapped with a potential $5,000 fine after a neighbor reported her for having grass that was "too tall"—specifically 8 inches. The catch? There's no actual law about grass height in her area. "It's just dirt and sand," she wrote in a Reddit post. "The grass my builder put in is bad, so it only grows in certain areas." The homeowner, who lives outside an homeowners association, said this was her second violation, and city code enforcement warned that a third could escalate to the Code Enforcement Board and result in a fine of up to $5,000. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can And while the code enforcement officer left a violation notice, the city couldn't point to any clear rule she broke. According to her, there's no defined maximum height for grass—just vague wording about how it looks compared to neighboring properties. "It's based on the officer's judgment," she said. "They told me they base violations on comparisons to my neighbor's lawn." One Redditor replied with what many were thinking: "Wow, they reported you just because it looked bad? I have neighbors who let their weeds overtake their lawn and mine and still wouldn't call." The first violation happened during a stretch when her lawnmower had been recalled, and the second came during a period of declining health. She said she figured as long as it stayed under "a ruler length," she'd be fine. Trending: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Now, she's exploring a legal workaround: converting her yard into a certified Florida native habitat, which is protected under Florida's SB 82 (2019) and other landscaping laws. These protect edible gardens, wildflowers, and native plant restoration efforts from local government restrictions. "One user recommended I convert my front lawn into a wildlife habitat," she wrote. "I want to get written confirmation from the city and put up a sign citing the law." She's also planning to speak with the zoning supervisor after being transferred by a confused staff member who had never heard of native habitat certification. In a follow-up, she thanked commenters for their support: "I didn't think anyone would care, but I'm so glad I reached out to this sub. You restore more of my faith in humanity." , In Florida, cities can legally fine homeowners for overgrown grass—if their local code defines a clear violation. But when no height is specified, enforcement becomes subjective. In one case reported by the Tampa Bay Times, a federal court upheld $30,000 in fines against a Dunedin homeowner for tall grass, though he planned to appeal. While fines like these can hold up legally, vague ordinances—like the one this homeowner describes—leave room for challenge, especially when violations are based on appearance rather than measurable rules. It's one thing to get fined by the city. It's another when the call is coming from just down the block. Whether it's lawn height, flowerbeds, or the wrong shade of yellow paint, the real challenge isn't just code enforcement—it's waking up each day next to someone who weaponizes it. Read Next: With Point, you can This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to . Image: Shutterstock This article Florida Homeowner Says Neighbor Reported 8-Inch Grass 'Because It Looks Bad' — Now She's Facing A $5,000 Fine Despite No Rule On Height originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Brickbat: Not Permitted
Christina Broadway of Marietta, Georgia, says she doesn't feel safe after her security cameras caught a city employee entering her home without her permission while she was at a funeral. City officials say the man was a code enforcement officer who had a right to enter the home because he thought he saw construction without the proper permits taking place at the residence. The post Brickbat: Not Permitted appeared first on
CBS News
30-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Miami commission meeting erupts over allegations of abuse, extortion and "weaponization of government"
A City of Miami Commission meeting meant to address internal misuse of power quickly spiraled into chaos this week, with commissioners trading accusations, members of the public shouting over one another and one official referring to the hearing as a "kangaroo court." Carollo and Gabela clash over code enforcement The meeting was called by Commissioner Miguel Gabela to address what he described as the "weaponization of government," specifically accusing fellow Commissioner Joe Carollo of using city code enforcement officers to target three of Gabela's properties. "We have a resolution so (that if) Mr. Carollo or somebody like Mr. Carollo ever comes into city government again (he or she) cannot weaponize ever again," Gabela said during the session. Carollo dismissed the accusations as a distraction tactic and provided property appraisal photos he claimed showed too many boats and cars outside Gabela's rental properties. "By creating this smokescreen that (Gabela is) trying to do, does he think that he can get away with this?" Carollo responded. He described the hearing as a "kangaroo court" and accused Gabela of more serious misconduct. "First of all do you guys give a crap that what he's done is illegal? He gets away with it. He threatened to fire the city manager and extort him," Carollo said. Gabela submitted folders of documents to the city attorney, which he said prove Carollo's misuse of code enforcement power. Gabela maintains he has done nothing wrong. Public reaction turns heated Dozens of frustrated taxpayers also weighed in during public comment, many of them critical of Carollo. "You're weaponizing government by targeting Commissioner Gabela's properties," one woman told Carollo. Tensions escalated further when two people preparing to speak began arguing and had to be calmed by the sergeant-at-arms. Later, a speaker showed a video by filmmaker Billy Corben depicting individuals in chicken costumes being arrested for heckling Carollo. Several residents accused Carollo of using code enforcement officers to intimidate restaurant owners as well. Bob Powers, a taxpayer who attended the meeting, left visibly frustrated. "Really how they're operating right now, it's terrifying people," Powers said. "It has nothing to do with all (things happening) between (Commissioners Carollo and Gabela) being angry at each other to be honest with you. It has to do with four or five different agencies of the city not communicating with each other." Calls for refocus on public needs While the commissioners aired grievances and the public vented concerns, the broader takeaway for many was the need for less political infighting and more focus on city governance. "It has nothing to do with being angry at each other," Powers said. "It has to do with the government failing to work together for the people."
