Amberley Village Property Maintenance FAQs

Why does Amberley Village have a property maintenance code?

The property maintenance code was adopted to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare as it pertains to premises and buildings used for residential or business purposes. The code establishes minimum standards for maintaining property to:

1. preserve and achieve the presentable appearance of existing structures and premises.
2. avoid blighting effects of the substandard maintenance of structures and premises and the negative impact on the value of surrounding properties.
3. eliminates hazardous conditions.
4. identify the responsibilities of owners, operators and occupants of structures and their premises.

How does the Amberley Village property maintenance code benefit me?

Having and enforcing the code is benefit to residents in a multitude of ways, including:

• Preserving the higher property values we have all come to expect in Amberley Village
• Lowering crime rates by keeping items put away and minimizing places to hide
• Improving the overall aesthetics and curb appeal of homes in the Village
• Protecting ourselves and our neighbors from public nuisances

How can I make a difference?

Assess your property on a regular basis by asking yourself if you would buy it again in its current condition. What could be changed or improved to make it appeal more to someone else? Initially, you can focus on a few items such as:

• Is the law being mowed and kept neat on a weekly basis?
• Is there peeling paint, broken bricks or damaged siding visible?
• Are trash and recycling bins, sports equipment and toys stored out of sight?
• Does landscaping need attention? Are there dead or dying trees or bushes?
• Are house numbers easily seen from the street? Emergency personnel can't reach you if they don't know specifically which home is yours.
• Are there recreational, inoperable or unlicensed vehicles parked on the property?

How is the code enforced?

Many Village employees are out and about as part of their regular job duties, and most property code violations are reported by them. Sometimes residents will anonymously alert the Village to a violation, and we will follow up with our own visual inspection.

Once it is determined that a violation exists, the Village will attempt to contact the property owner by phone about correcting the violation. If phone contact cannot be made or if it is a second notification, the property owner will be notified in writing through the US mail, or a letter will be delivered by an Amberley Village Police Officer.

Most requests to correct a violation are resolved with a telephone call. It is important to note however, that uncorrected violations or multiple violations in a calendar year could result in a citation to court and/or monetary penalties.

Is the code in effect all year?  Or just during spring and summer months?

The code is in effect all year. While the weather is not always accommodating to make corrections, the Village works with homeowners and honors reasonable requests. For the most part, weather is the only exception for not making corrections in a timely manner.