- Home
- City Services
- Community Development & Inspections
- Code Enforcement
Code Enforcement
The code enforcement department handles complaints about possible violations of the city’s codes and ordinances.
The city's most common complaints:
- Tall grass & weeds, general overgrowth
- Sidewalk snow removal
- Rodent sightings
Report
- A complaint can be logged through this website by clicking on Request for Service, calling our Code Enforcement Hotline at 586-447-3399, or emailing your complaint to ricecar@scsmi.net.
- YOU MUST PROVIDE AN ADDRESS WHEN SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT. Otherwise, we cannot log the complaint into our system and schedule an inspection.
- Due to the sheer volume of complaints received by the Code Enforcement staff, we cannot reply with the results of every complaint.
- Please feel free to follow up on your submitted complaint approximately 7 to 10 business days after it has been submitted, and we can provide you with additional information.
Process
- A Code Enforcement Inspector will visit if there is a complaint against you or your property.
- You will likely receive a Notice of Violation if the complaint is legitimate. This is a courtesy notification. You will typically have 7-10 business days to correct the violation or contact our offices to arrange a plan of action.
- Some violations, like snow removal or grass cutting, will be handled within 1 business day of the violation.
- If the violation has not been corrected or you have not contacted our offices within the given time frame, then you may receive a courtesy Final Notice of Violation or a citation, and your appearance at the 40th District Court will be required.
The intent of the Code Enforcement Department is to maintain or improve the overall condition, aesthetics, and livability of St. Clair Shores. That being said, the Code Enforcement Supervisor is here to work with you to help resolve violations in the most efficient manner possible. The Code Enforcement staff work hard to resolve issues without issuing tickets.
Appeal
If you want to appeal the charges for services provided through our Code Enforcement Department, please fill out our Appeals Form and submit it to the Community Development Department, attention Code Enforcement.
During the summer, grass and weeds can grow or accumulate at an alarming rate, causing property owners to tend their gardens and cut their grass sometimes more than once a week. Whether the weather is dry and hot or cool and wet, residential and commercial property owners are responsible for maintaining grass and removing weeds.
If a property has grass over 8 inches in length, then you can use the "Report Violation" button above to tell us about it. We will send an inspector to confirm the condition and take appropriate action as necessary, often cutting the grass and billing the property owner.
For additional information regarding this city's policy on grass-cutting and noxious weeds, please see Chapter 20.250 Planting and Maintenance of Plant Life and Forestry.
Did you know cities and suburban areas have their own ecosystem, just like forests and other natural areas? Much of the wildlife you see outside your house has adapted to life with humans. Squirrels, birds, raccoons, and opossums are all native wildlife in our suburban ecosystem. Unfortunately, so are rats.
Rat populations ebb and flow over the seasons and years, and lately, there seem to be more rats in St. Clair Shores than in years and decades past.
The City of St. Clair Shores is committed to providing our residents with a safe and healthy suburban environment, so we have devised a comprehensive Rat Abatement Program.
What to Do
- If you see rats in your neighborhood or evidence thereof, please submit a complaint to our department by clicking on the "Report Violation" button above.
- MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE ADDRESS OF THE RAT SIGHTING. We will send out an inspector to confirm your suspicions.
- If the inspector finds evidence of rats living in your yard because your property is a primary source of food, water, and/or shelter, we will ask that you remove those attractions.
The city is committed to eradicating rodents; however, we need assistance from property owners to maintain their yards and buildings for the program to succeed.
Property owners are responsible for shoveling snow accumulated on public sidewalks adjacent to their property. When the city has called a snow event or snow emergency, snow must be removed from sidewalks within 48 hours of the snow event or emergency.
For further information related to snow removal, please see Chapter 30: Streets, Sidewalks, and Public Ways of the City's Ordinances.