Property Maintenance

Code EnforcementThe Village of Niles has adopted the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code. This code with local amendments establishes minimum standards for the maintenance of property in the village. Issues addressed by Code Enforcement include the exterior maintenance of all properties, improper garbage / rubbish disposal, grass and weed control, motels and theaters, as well as garage sales and residential sale and rental inspections.

This page is intended to be a summary of the Village's property maintenance regulations. A complete version of all regulations, including definitions, descriptions, or exceptions to the regulations may be found in the Municipal Code. The following is a listing of the most common property maintenance violations and the regulations to bring the violation to code:

Tall Grass & Weeds

Driveways & Walkways

Animal Litter

Accessory Structures

Sidewalks

House Numbers

Exterior of Buildings

Motor & Recreational Vehicles

Windows & Screens

Accumulated Debris

Other Possible Violations

Tall Grass & Weeds

Your lawn must be maintained to less than eight (8) inches in height. Additionally, compost piles must:

have no obnoxious odors

be less than four (4) feet in height and diameter

be located only in rear or side yards

be set back at least five (5) feet from any lot line and should not be placed in an easement


Accessory Structures

Accessory structures must be structurally sound and in good repair, the proper size, and placed in a proper location. Examples of an accessory structure include:

Detached Garages

Sheds

Fences

Decks/Patios

Pools

Piers/Boathouses

Mailboxes

Exterior of Buildings

The exterior of buildings must be maintained in good repair without holes, loose or rotting materials, peeling paint, or graffiti. This includes:

Foundations

Walls

Soffits/Fascia

Roofs

Gutters and Downspouts

Windows & Screens

Windows and screens must be in good repair, which includes being weather tight, water tight, and rodent proof. Additionally they should be able to easily be opened, unless specifically designed to be fixed, as well as be held in position by hardware.

Driveways & Walkways

Driveways and walkways on private properties must be maintained and in a good state of repair. Cement and asphalt shall be free of loose or broken material. If you have a gravel driveway it shall be maintained in forms designed to prevent the spread of gravel to public ways, easements, and adjoining private properties.

Sidewalks

No person shall block the clear passage of public sidewalks.

Vehicles may not be parked over any public sidewalk.

Property owners are responsible for the removal of snow on all sidewalks abutting their property within 24 hours after any snowfall has ceased.

Motor & Recreational Vehicles

Inoperable vehicles (including unlicensed vehicles) may not be stored on private property in excess of 30 days unless such motor vehicle is completely enclosed within a building.

All vehicles, including recreational and trailers, shall be parked on an improved surface of either asphalt or concrete and shall be accessible without maneuvering over any unpaved surface to retrieve.

A maximum of two recreational vehicles are allowed to be parked visible to the public.

No part of any motor or recreational vehicle, when parked, shall encroach over a public sidewalk.

In no case shall a recreational vehicle or equipment be parked on public property.

Accumulated Debris

No owner of real estate shall accumulate or permit the accumulation of:

Rubbish

Boxes

Lumber

Scrap Metal

Any other material that may provide a rodent harborage, fire hazard, or constitute a blighting influence on the premises or neighborhood.

Necessary building materials pursuant to a valid building permit are allowed.

Animal Litter

No person shall allow a domesticated animal to deposit any litter upon any public way or upon any private property not owned by that person unless that person has the permission of the owner of the property or immediately removes the excrement from the property.

House Numbers

House numbers must be displayed on the exterior of all buildings within the Village.

The house numbers must be at least four (4) inches in height and visible from the street.

Other Possible Violations

Other possible violations may include:

Illegal signs such as off-site advertising are prohibited

Illegal home occupations

Failure to obtain a required building permit

Failure to exterminate

To report a property maintenance violation, please visit the Service Request portion of the website. For further information regarding the Village's regulations for property maintenance and building permits, please contact the Community Development Department at 847-588-8040.