MUNICIPAL
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City of La Mirada has a
reputation of attractive and well-maintained properties, which is based on the
high standards that are set by the community and contained in the City code.
Code Enforcement Officers work with residents and business owners to
eliminate blight and to improve the appearance and safety of the community.
Listed below are examples of complaints Code
Enforcement Officers receive from residents and steps you can take to prevent
code enforcement violations:
Landscaping
and Vegetation:
To
reduce interference with vehicles, pedestrians, water drainage, or street
maintenance, hedges, trees, shrubs, and plants may not overhang on
sidewalks, parkways, curbs, or streets.
Overgrown
vegetation that detracts from the appearance of the home and the
neighborhood is not permitted. Adequate
groundcover is required to minimize erosion.
Residents
are responsible for the maintenance of parkways adjacent to their property
with the exception of trees maintained by the City.
Residents are expected to regularly water parkway trees and maintain
grass and plants. Parkways must
also be maintained free of trash and debris.
Trash
cans and recycling:
Trash
and recycling containers must be properly stored inside a building or out of
public view.
Trash
containers should be placed at the curb in front of the home on the designated
trash day. Cans shall not be
placed for collection earlier than sunset of the trash collection day.
All containers shall be removed from the place of collection prior
to 10 p.m. of the day the containers and receptacles have been emptied.
Scavenging
or removing items from trash cans or recycling containers is prohibited.
Animal
Maintenance:
Animal
waste should be picked up and disposed of by the owner.
All
dogs over the age of four months within the City must be licensed.
Dogs
must be restrained by a substantial chain or leash, not exceeding six feet
in length.
A
dog must be managed by a competent person, twelve years of age or older.
Five
domestic animals are allowed per household.
Roosters
are prohibited.
Signs:
There
are requirements for the placement of business signs.
The City Planning Department must approve all signs prior to
installation.
Signs
attached to private utility poles without prior written approval from the
utility company are prohibited.
Prohibited
signs include: portable signs, temporary signs which stand freely or must be
propped up against or tacked to another object to remain upright, inflatable
signs and vehicle signs.
In
addition, signs that represent any hazard to the safety of pedestrian or
vehicular traffic by interfering with visibility and effectiveness of
traffic control or warning devices are prohibited.
Graffiti:
The City will remove graffiti from public and
private properties. Properties may
not be maintained with graffiti vandalism as it may encourage further vandalism
and other criminal activity. If the
graffiti is not removed in a timely manner or there is continued failure to
remove the graffiti, the violations may result in a misdemeanor charge. A $1,000 cash reward may be given for information leading to
the arrest and conviction of a graffiti vandal.
Prevention
tips:
·
Quick
removal is the key to deterring future graffiti vandalism.
By taking away the recognition the vandals seek, you are decreasing the
chances that graffiti will return.
·
Well-lit
areas with timed lights or lights equipped with motion sensors can illuminate
areas that vandals seek.
·
Planting
shrubs, vines, or trees in front of graffiti-prone walls is a long-term solution
to graffiti. The greenery provides
a more attractive surface.
·
Fencing
can eliminate accessibility to areas prone to graffiti.
How
to file a complaint:
Complaints
may be filed with to the Community Development Department in person, by mail,
or by telephone.
Please
provide your name, address and telephone number where we can contact you
for additional information.
Provide
the address of the location, including number and street name.
Identify
the specific complaint or problem with a brief description.
Your
complaint will be forwarded to a Code Enforcement Officer, who will investigate
the complaint. If a violation is
observed, the property owner or tenant will be given written notification to
correct the violation within a specified time period.
If the violation is not corrected, the owner or tenant will be subject to
criminal prosecution. For
complaints by mail, write to:
City
of La Mirada
Code Enforcement
13700 La Mirada Boulevard
La Mirada, California 90638
(562) 943-0131