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").
If you have questions or would like to read a specific ordinance, please stop
by the Town Hall during normal business hours. Town of Griffith Municipal Codes
and Ordinances are also available online. For information on accessing the
online ordinances, please click HERE.
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.
"Junk Vehicle" (Ordinance 26-76):
... any vehicle that is on public or private property is required to 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 (not the street) for no more than 72 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 (Boats,
Camper, Recreational Vehicles, Trailers, et al as outlined above) amending
ordinance ยง 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.
