Administrative Hearings Bureau

Common Property Blight Violations:

• State Construction Code
• Property Maintenance Code
• Zoning Violations
• No Certificate of Compliance
• Dangerous Buildings
• Property Maintenance Nuissance

State Construction Code: The city assumes responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the state building code, the state plumbing code, and the state mechanical code throughout its corporate limits. A person who violates any provision of these codes is responsible for a municipal civil infraction, subject to payment of a civil fine as set forth in section 71-73.

Property Maintenance Code: The "International Property Maintenance Code, 2006 edition," as published by the International Code Council, has been adopted as the Property Maintenance Code of the City of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Its purpose is to regulate and govern the conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings, and structures by providing the standards for supplied utilities, facilities, and other physical things and conditions which are essential to ensure that structures are safe, sanitary, and fit for occupation and use. It also provides standards for the condemnation of buildings and structures unfit for human occupancy and use, the demolition of such existing structures, and the issuance of permits and collection of fees.

Certificate of Compliance: Certificate of compliance means an official document, titled "certificate of compliance," issued by the city building inspection department for a multiple dwelling or one-or two-unit rental dwelling. It indicates that the covered units identified thereon are in compliance with all applicable provisions of this Code, particularly the property maintenance code and the fire prevention code.

Dangerous Buildings: Dangerous buildings means a building or structure that has the defects listed in section 18-111 of the City’s Code of Ordinances.

Public Nuisances: Nuisance refers to whatever annoys, injures, or endangers the safety, health, comfort or repose of the public; offends public decency; interferes with, obstructs, or renders dangerous any street, highway, navigable lake, or stream; or in any way renders the public insecure in life or property.

Solid Waste and Yard Waste Violations:

• Disposal Arrangements

• Commercial Properties
• Residential Properties
• Multiple Dwellings
• Trees and Shrubs
• Grass and Weed Control

 
Disposal Arrangements: Every owner, lessor, or agent of any building where garbage or rubbish accumulates shall arrange with the city manager or city council for garbage and rubbish collection, unless such property is provided with an installation adequate to dispose of all wastes, both garbage and rubbish, and approved by the city.

Commercial Properties: 

(a) No accumulation of garbage or rubbish from commercial manufacturing establishments shall be placed out for collection prior to the time specified by in the rules and regulations for the collection of garbage and rubbish.

(b) Receptacles for commercial garbage or rubbish which have been placed out for collection shall be removed immediately following collection of such materials. Receptacles shall have functioning lids that shall be kept closed so that the receptacles' contents are not visible to the public and so that the receptacles' contents cannot blow, drift, or drop from the receptacles.

(c) A person who violates any provision of this section is responsible for a municipal civil infraction, subject to payment of a civil fine as set forth in section 70-38. Repeat offenses under this section shall be subject to increased fines as set forth in section 70-38.

Residential Properties: No accumulation of garbage or rubbish from residences shall be placed out for collection at the curb prior to 3:30 p.m. of the day preceding the designated collection day. All receptacles, and any remaining accumulation of trash and debris, must be taken in prior to 8:00 a.m. of the day following the day of collection and placed behind the building line and out of general view. In addition to the issuance of a citation, a warning tag will be left on the containers or items and on the door of the residence.

 
Multiple Dwellings: 

(a) The owners of multiple dwellings, which include buildings having two or more dwelling units which are not owner-occupied, shall furnish the refuse receptacles for each dwelling unit or such other receptacles as may be specified in rules and regulations.

(b) Receptacles shall have functioning lids that shall be kept closed so that the receptacles’ contents are not visible to the public and so that the receptacles' contents cannot blow, drift, or drop from the receptacles.

(c) A person who violates any provision of this section is responsible for a municipal civil infraction,subject to payment of a civil fine as set forth in section 71-73. Repeat offenses under this section shall be subject to increased fines as set forth in section 71-73.

Snow related Ordinance Violations:

• Snow removal from sidewalk adjacent to residential premises

• Snow removal from sidewalk adjacent to commercial premises
• Snow removal from parking lot serving less than 10 units
• Snow removal from parking lot service more than 10 units

 
Snow Removal: The occupant, manager, or owner of every lot or parcel of land adjoining any sidewalk shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or parcel of land within 48 hours from the first accumulation of such snow or ice. When any snow shall fall or drift upon any sidewalk, the owner, occupant, or manager of the lot or parcel of land adjacent the such sidewalk shall remove such snow within 48 hours from the first accumulation

The owner or manager of any parking lot shall remove all snow from the parking lot within 24 hours from the first accumulation of such snow.

If any occupant, owner, or manager shall neglect or fail to clear ice or snow from a parking lot, or from a sidewalk adjoining his lot or parcel of land within the time limited and herein required, or shall otherwise permit ice or snow to accumulate on such sidewalk or parking lot, he shall be responsible for a municipal civil infraction, subject to payment of a civil fine as set forth in section 71-73.

Repeat offenses under this article shall be subject to increased fines as set forth in section 71-73. Each day that the condition of accumulation of ice or snow shall continue after the first day of violation shall constitute a separate offense and shall bear a separate penalty.