CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

The Enforcement Division within the Department of Environmental Management was created to provide the ability for the Board of County Commissioners to enforce a number of codes geared toward maintaining the high quality of life in Pinellas County. The Division is responsible for maintaining a complaint system that provides the citizens of the County an avenue to air their grievances or complaints about various activities within their neighborhoods.

Ordinance Revisions Adopted at
BCC Public Hearing on 1/24/06

GENERAL PENALTY PROVISIONS

• Eliminates the provision for imprisonment in the County jail for a term of 60 days or less as a penalty for ordinance violations. This change is made in various general penalty sections in both the Pinellas County Code and Pinellas County Land Development Code.

LOT CLEARING CODE

• Authorizes County Administrator or his designee, as opposed to the Board of County Commissioners, to assess a lien against property that has been cleared pursuant to the ordinance in an amount equal to the actual cost of such clearing.
  
• Clarifies the provision for interest on liens.
  
• Allows the County Administrator or his designee, as opposed to the Board of County Commissioners, to execute a satisfaction of lien upon payment of the costs imposed by such lien, plus applicable interest.

INOPERATIVE VEHICLE CODE (Derelict vessels in neighborhoods)

• Adds a definition for "derelict vessel" to include vessels that are deteriorated or not currently registered.
  
• Clarifies other various definitions.
  
• Clarifies the intent section to include a provision for derelict vessels, in addition to the current provision for inoperative vehicles.
  
• Adds a prohibition that will prohibit the parking, placement or storage of derelict vessels on any residentially zoned property in unincorporated County.
  
• Clarifies other provisions to add derelict vessel in addition to inoperative vehicle to various exemptions and administrative provisions.

MINIMUM HOUSING CODE

• Clarifies notice provisions.
  
• Decreases the warning period to correct major violations from 45 days to 15 days.
  
• Decreases the warning period to correct minor violations from 60 days to 30 days.
  
• Changes the maximum time limit for effectuating repairs from 120 days to 60 days.
  
• Provides that no structure may have the windows, doors, or other openings secured with plywood, boards, or other protective covering for a period of longer than 90 days, unless such protective covering is a professionally manufactured product made solely for purposes of storm protection.