Code Enforcement
The City of Beloit has 5 Property Maintenance Code Inspectors who respond to complaints and patrol the entire city enforcing the city’s property maintenance code. When an inspector identifies a code violation a letter is sent to the property owner which outlines the violation and provides a time frame in which to comply. Staff will work with property owners and provide reasonable extensions, if the owner is working on correcting the violation but needs additional time. If the code violation is not corrected, a citation may be issued.
BY FOLLWING THESE SIMPLE GUIDELINES, YOU CAN TAKE PART IN CREATING A WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN LIVE.
What You Can Do OUTSIDE Your Home
- Maintain the exterior property areas free from trash or accumulated debris.
- Routinely mow your lawn, trim your shrubs and prevent weeds.
- Park on your paved driveway or a public street (parking on lawns is not permitted)
- Store inoperable and unregistered vehicles in enclosed structures.
- Follow the City of Beloit rules for proper trash collection and recycling. (Dept. of Public Works)
- Be respectful of your neighbors by keeping the noise down.
- As soon as possible report acts of vandalism and graffiti to the Beloit Police Department.
- Perform any vehicle repair inside garages or enclosed buildings, rather than on driveways and public streets.
- Check with Housing Services before posting signs. Signs are not permitted to be posted in the public right-of-way.
- Clean up after your pets in your yard and during walks. Do not allow dogs and cats to run loose throughout the neighborhood.
- Help pick up litter as soon as it appears. Picking up litter prevents more litter from appearing.
- Repair or replace falling gutters, cracked windows and peeling paint.
- If you are located in one of Beloit’s Historic Districts you must obtain a certificate of Appropriateness before work begins (Planning and Building Services)
- Rummage/garage sales are limited to 3 consecutive days and no more than 2 per calendar year
- Trim trees, shrubs and other plantings away from sidewalks and curbs for pedestrian and vehicular safety
- Lighting your property will improve safety
What You Can Do INSIDE Your Home
- If you are operating a home-base business. Please ensure that it is properly licensed and the zoning in your area allows for the operation of a home-based business. Babysitting and childcare services in your home are considered home-based business. (Planning and Building Services)
- To determine occupancy limits for a particular home, please check with the Department of Community Development before buying or renting
- Use properly installed and functioning smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide detectors.
- Interior remodeling, alterations and room conversions require building permits before any work is started. It can be very costly to remove work that was constructed improperly or otherwise does not meet code requirements. (Planning and Building Services)
Filing a Code Violation Complaint
Neighbors working together to resolve neighborhood concerns is ideal, but not always possible. If the situation involves a code violation and cannot be resolved through cooperation between neighbors, code enforcement may be able to assist in a successful resolution.
Providing as much information as possible will assist inspectors in focusing investigations.
- The Division of Community and Housing Services will accept anonymous complaints for exterior problems; confidentiality of the complainant’s identity is maintained if a name is given.
- Interior complaints require your name, telephone number and address when reporting a violation. This is important if the need arises for additional information and allows City staff to contact you regarding the status of the investigation.
- Please provide the address of the location of the violation to include street number, street name, and specific location on the property. (For example: “Trash in the front yard of 123 Anywhere Street”)
- Please provide as complete and detailed description of the violation as you can. This information will assist City staff in conducting a thorough investigation.
COMPLAINTS CAN BE REPORTED TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AT 364-6700.
NEED ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS?
- The City of Beloit offers low interest home improvement loans to low and moderate income homeowners city wide. For information please visit our Housing Loan Program webpage here or call 608-364-6695.
- Neighborhood Housing Services works to support neighborhood revitalization through education, financial resources, property rehabilitation and new construction. For more information call 608-362-9051.