North Center Revitalization Assoc. (NCRA)

BEYOND COMPLIANCE

Nov 23, 2003

BEYOND COMPLIANCE
By Tom Okabe, Code Compliance Officer

Our office often receives calls from citizens asking if we are able to help them solve problems in their neighborhoods. Many times, we can satisfy them to a degree, but they express the fact that they would like more to be done.

The Department's main goal is to maintain a standard for all neighborhoods so that they are safe, attractive, and allow homeowners to maintain as high a real estate value as they can.

We currently have nuisance, sign, housing, and zoning ordinances that meet a "minimum" standard for all neighborhoods. Residents, however, often have a higher standard for where they want their neighborhood to be. This means, then, that all neighbors must work together in creating the neighborhood they all seek.

Many times, an ordinance will not only state what is not allowed but the exact specifics. For example: Overgrown weeds or grass are not allowed. How do I know if my weeds or grass are overgrown? The ordinance specifies that if it occupies more than 50 contiguous square feet, and the predominant height in excess of 9 inches, it is considered overgrown. Therefore, resident who haveless than 50 adjacent square feet with grass or weeds over 9 inches are not in violation. Likewise if they have over 50 contiguous square feet with slightly overgrown grass or weeds (5-8 inches) they are not in violation However, this may not be attractive. And so it is up to the neighbors to communicate with neighbors in order to keep up a standard which is mutually pleasing. We all want to be proud of our home, and our neighborhood, and to be able to do anything we please where we live. We can have both as long as we remain aware of everyone?’s thoughts and feelings. Together we can create a neighborhood we can all enjoy.

Tom Okabe
Code Compliance Division
P.O. Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211-1466
Tel: (480) 644-5512
Fax: (480) 644-2897
Tetsuo.Okabe@cityofmesa.org