Dear Dearborn Heights' Resident:
One of the keys to helping keep Dearborn Heights a great place to live and work is ensuring each of our homes and yards are properly maintained.
Clean, well-maintained neighborhoods do much more than just make our city a pleasant place to live. Neighborhoods whose homeowners perform routine, basic maintenance on their structures and yards consistently enjoy lower crime rates and substantially higher property values.
In some cases, the City has enforceable codes that mandate certain maintenance-related responsibilities. Adherence to these codes, along with some good common sense, will ensure our neighborhoods remain a desirable place to live and work.
I hope you will join me by taking an active role in helping keep Dearborn Heights a great place to live. Set some time aside this year to clean and maintain your home and yard. If we all do our part, we will all reap the rewards of a better community.
Sincerely,
Bill Bazzi
Mayor
This site highlights several suggestions on ways you can make your homes and yards more attractive, as well as highlighting the intent of several of our more frequently-overlooked maintenance-related codes.
The improper parking and/or storage of vehicles is common. The following general guidelines explain how to legally park/store vehicles in your residential neighborhood.
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- Recreational vehicles include (but are not necessarily limited to) such vehicles as motor homes, campers, trailers, converted vans/buses, boats, snowmobiles, etc.
- Recreational vehicles less than eighteen (18) feet in length may parked on city streets or in driveways for a maximum of 48 hours(to allow for loading/unloading, etc.).
- Recreational vehicles may not be used as living quarters. Utility lines, such as gas or water may not be run to your recreational vehicle (although an electrical line may be temporarily run for charging batteries, etc.).
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You may store one non-commercial vehicle eighteen (18) feet or shorter (including a recreational vehicle/boat/etc.) off the driveway area of your residential lot. The vehicle must be parked on a cement pad (which must be located a minimum distance from any buildings or lot lines), and not in the front or side yard.
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Vehicles over eighteen (18) feet in length cannot be stored on residential lots.
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All stored vehicles must be in operable condition, licensed, and meet all state motor vehicle codes.
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Well-maintained yards and lawns are one of the most visible means that homeowners and occupants have to maintain a favorable appearance for their homes. As homeowners and occupants, it is our obligation to ensure all vegetation on our premises is cut and trimmed, structures (i.e. sidewalks and fences) are properly maintained, and yards are free of debris.
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- Homeowners (or occupants) are responsible for cutting and removing all weeds, grass, and vegetation that is growing, standing, resting, or accumulating on their premises. Grass and weeds should not be taller than six (6) inches.
- All shrubs and bushes planted near streets and intersections must be planted and maintained to avoid blocking the view of drivers approaching street intersections.
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All refuse/garbage/trash must be placed in receptacles. ON STREET PARKING IS PROHIBITED FROM 7AM TO 7PM ON THE DAY RUBBISH PICK-UP IS SCHEDULED.
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Yard clippings must be placed in cans marked "yard waste" or yard waste bags. No plastic bags are accepted for yard clippings.
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Containers may be set out after 6:00 p.m. on the day prior to collection, and collected by 6:00 p.m. the day pickup has been made.
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Containers may be placed on the approach or the easement of the property no more than 2 feet away from the curb with a vertical clearance of 15 feet.
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Refuse containers may not be placed on sidewalks or streets.
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It is the responsibility of the homeowner to ensure all sidewalks are kept clear of debris and in good repair.
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Sidewalk squares that have risen or sunk and reveal significant height differences (or squares with large cracks) shall be replaced by the homeowner.
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Rubbish, litter, dirt, or any other matter cannot be placed on sidewalks. Also, all snow and/or ice must be removed within twenty four (24) hours of the conclusion of the snow/ice event.
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Any sale that is open to the public and conducted from or on residential premises for the purposes of disposing of personal property is considered a yard or garage sale.
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Sales may last a maximum of three (3) consecutive days.
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You can hold no more than two (2) sales in any one (1) calendar year.
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You may not post signs advertising a sale on public property, utility poles, or on private property without the express consent of the owner. Any signs posted to promote your sale must be removed within twenty-four (24) hours of the end of the sale.
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Homeowners and occupants are allowed to keep up to three (3) animals over the age of four (4) months.
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Animal owners must take the responsibility of eliminating any excess noise made by their animals that would be annoying to their neighbors.
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All dogs must be licensed by the City Clerk's Office. Call (313) 791-3430 for details.
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Animal owners are also responsible for keeping their animals contained, so they are not able to run unattended.
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Animal owners are responsible for immediately removing all droppings left by their animals by any sanitary method.
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Homeowners and occupants should ensure that all structures/buildings are kept in good repair – including replacing damaged/missing elements as necessary, and making sure painted surfaces are not peeling and unsightly.
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All "outbuildings" (garages/etc.), whether residential or commercial, should be kept in good repair, securely locked, and windows kept intact, glazed or neatly boarded up.
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Any structure that because of fire, wind or other natural disaster, or physical deterioration is no longer habitable should be promptly repaired or removed.
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- Homeowners or occupants may store a maximum of five (5) single-faced cords of firewood in the rear or side yard when neatly stacked in piles and placed on supports. Stacks must maintain a minimum clearance of six (6) inches above existing grade and cannot be taller than five (5) feet in height.
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- Homeowners and occupants are responsible for ensuring the proper maintenance of fence structures. This includes the repair/replacement of all posts, gates, and other structural elements, and ensuring your fence is properly painted.
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Help keep Dearborn Heights a great place to live. Well-maintained neighborhoods are more attractive, safer, and enjoy higher property values!
For a more detailed (online) look at the City's ordinances, access:
http://municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=11985&sid=22
To report an ordinance violation in your neighborhood, or for more information regarding City ordinances, contact the City of Dearborn Heights Ordinance Department:
(313) 791-3497
or
ordinance@ci.dearborn-heights.mi.us
Your call or email will remain confidential.
City of Dearborn Heights 6045 Fenton • Dearborn Heights, Michigan 48127
Tel: (313) 791-3400 • Web: http://www.ci.dearborn-heights.mi.us
