Code enforcement Archives - Uvalde Hesperian

Cutting to the chase on questions about high grass, weeds and City of Uvalde code enforcement

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:43:33 +0000

By Michael Robinson |Uvalde Hesperian

07-10-25

With the steady rainfall over the past few weeks, grass and weeds have quickly grown in residential areas, in empty lots and along city easements.

According to City of Uvalde Director of Planning and Development Susan Anderson, the number one complaint the city receives is about overgrown grass and weeds.

The Uvalde Hesperian reached out to the City with questions about city codes and code enforcement pertaining to tall grass and weeds.

Anderson and other City personnel submitted the answers to the questions posed.

How widespread is the tall grass in Uvalde?

“HIGH WEEDS AND GRASS IS THE MOST FREQUENT COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVE. OUR PROCESS IS:
– RECEIVE COMPLAINT
– DRIVE BY AND TAKE PICTURES
– CREATE A CASE, LOCATING THE PROPERTY OWNERS, MAKING CONTACT, SENDING A NOTICE OF VIOLATION
– WAIT 10 DAYS TO SEE IF THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL CONTACT US, IF SO WE WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO REMEDY THE ISSUE.
– IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE AND THE PROPERTY IS VACANT WE HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO CLEAN THE PROPERTY.
– IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE AND THE PROPERTY IS NOT VACANT WE FILE A CASE WITH MUNICIPAL COURT
– SEND A BILL TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. IF NO PAYMENT IS MADE, A LIEN WILL BE PLACED ON THE PROPERTY.
– VIOLATION LETTERS ARE GOOD FOR ONE YEAR, SO WE MAY HAVE IT CLEANED AGAIN DURING THAT TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO START THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS AGAIN.
THIS PROCESS IS PRESCRIBED IN STATE STATUTE.”

If the high grass is on a city easement, who is responsible for keeping it mowed?

PROPERTY OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN UP TO THE CURB OR PAVEMENT IF THERE IS NO CURB.

What does the code state concerning grass?

“WE HAVE ADOPTED THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY CODE WHICH STATES:

302.4 WEEDS. PREMISES AND EXTERIOR PROPERTY SHALL BE MAINTAINED FREE FROM WEEDS OR PLANT GROWTH IN EXCESS OF 12 INCHES IN HEIGHT. NOXIOUS WEEDS SHALL BE PROHIBITED. WEEDS SHALL BE DEFINED AS ALL GRASSES, ANNUAL PLANTS AND VEGETATION, OTHER THAN TREES OR SHRUBS PROVIDED; HOWEVER, THIS TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE CULTIVATED FLOWERS AND GARDENS.”

What about out of town owners of homes? “THE SAME RULES APPLY NO MATTER WHERE THE OWNERS LIVE.”

How many tickets/ warnings has your department issued in the last few weeks?

WE HAVE OPENED 7 CASES SO FAR IN JULY. LAST YEAR WE ONLY HAD 4, BUT WITH THE RAINS WE EXPECT TO HAVE MORE THAN LAST YEAR. THE TOTAL YEAR-TO-DATE IS 32. LAST YEAR OUR TOTAL CASES WAS 33.

What options does a business or homeowner have regarding maintaining a code compliant yard?

“WE MAINTAIN A LIST OF CONTRACTORS THAT WORK WITH OUR CODE DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THE LIST WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.”

What are some detrimental effects of high grass in residential areas?

“HIGH WEEDS AND GRASS CAN HARBOR INSECTS, RODENTS AND REPTILES. KEEPING GRASS CUT REDUCES THE RISK OF ENCOUNTERING THESE PESTS.”

The post Cutting to the chase on questions about high grass, weeds and City of Uvalde code enforcement appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.

Sweltering in place and no one to call: Council creates city ordinance to address landlord’s responsibility to fix air conditioning

admin — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:05:19 +0000

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

It’s May 28th in Southwest Texas and upper 90 degree temperatures have started to set in. A single mother of two teenages who will be referred to as Jill is working hard just to make ends meet and finds her rental unit’s air conditioning is not working. So she called the landlord requesting the broken air conditioner be fixed. Days go by and more calls are made but temperatures inside the home reach into the 90’s.

Jill goes out and buys some fans to put in her home to try to mitigate the sweltering temperatures inside her home. The phone calls and emails continue to the landlord and days without air conditioning turn into weeks. Jill, already dealing with PTSD and other health issues, starts getting sick; sick enough to go to the local emergency room and be admitted due to heat related illnesses. Jill ends up with hospital bills totalling over $18,000 dollars. Her electricity bills skyrocket to $700 from the constant use of fans.

Jill calls City of Uvalde Code Enforcement but is informed there is nothing they can do. Jill’s doctor files a complaint with the Uvalde Resiliency Center.

“I want these people who own this place to bring their family, their children and their pets and I want them to live like my son and my pets and I have lived since May 28th. I mean to tell you I am calling the police. I am so hot I haven’t even slept. It’s too hot. I’ve had it,” Jill said.

Finally on the Saturday morning of July 30th. 2024 , workers sent by Jill’s landlord bring a replacement Air Conditioning Unit but do not install it. According to Jill, they say they will be back after lunch but fail to show up. A day or two later the air conditioner is installed.

While some facing this situation would just leave the apartment and likely forfeit their deposit at the current residence, some people like Jill do not have the money to move and pay another deposit at another department or rental.

The Council ultimately approves the measure but not without a discussion on the matter.

According to Uvalde City Attorney Paul J. Tarski of the Tarski Law Firm, if the City creates this new ordinance, it would not be backed up by an existing state law.

“To be clear, there is no federal and there is no state statute with the exemption that Dallas and Houston have passed it, One of them is already being challenged in court,” Tarski said.

He continued, “If someone wants to attack it, in our opinion you’re going to lose.”

King stated that he has been getting calls since I’ve gone on council. He said he’d usually tell them to call somebody. “There is nobody to call,” King said,

King stated within the last three months, he had received calls from two young ladies who didn’t have hot water and the landlord refused to fix it.

“For the health and safety of people, I think we can take that chance.” King said.

“Why are we getting involved?” Councilman Hector R. Lueveno said.

“Because there is no one to call. Literally no one to call.” King said.

The post Sweltering in place and no one to call: Council creates city ordinance to address landlord’s responsibility to fix air conditioning appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.

City Council grapples over scofflaw code offenders

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 23:43:06 +0000

A Uvalde City Council discussion which began as part of the March 22nd council meeting has continued into the April 12th meeting. The question city council members, the mayor and other city department heads seem to be grappling with is this:

“What actions can the city take to bring problem residential property owners and tenants into compliance with city codes and ordinances?

At the March 22nd meeting several residents came to the Uvalde City Council meeting and addressed the council over a neighboring property on the 500 block of Park Street where garbage would pile up on the property. At this property, Anderson stated the house on the property was not receiving city services such as water or sanitation services and did not have any electricity.

According to the minutes from March 22nd, Anderson said,” Staff has been in contact with the Code Enforcement Association of Texas and provided a list of cities that use the same ordinance as the City of Uvalde.”

“So what can be done about property owners not having services or about garbage and sanitation issues regarding fire? The State of Texas says we can place liens on properties however that cannot be done on a homestead. Since we are requiring people to show us a lease agreement, then that says it’s a rental. For residential properties, there is not much that can be done.” Anderson said.

“Sergio Porras who lives near the property on Park Street stated he knows the property in question has not had utilities in over 15 years. The current resident of the property has a lot of issues both medical and mental. He mentioned that on several occasions the individual residing on Park Street started fires and harassed neighbors.” (from the minutes of the March 22nd meeting)

What does a city do when code violations are ignored and municipal court dates are not attended?

Near the end of the April 12th, City Council meeting, the discussion over scofflaw code violators continued.

“It’s a tale of two trailer parks.” Susan Anderson, City of Uvalde Director of Planning and Development said to the City Council when discussing the ongoing discussion of code enforcement issues.

According to Anderson the two trailer parks are both located within the city limits, both located near pretty nice neighborhoods and both were developed in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s.

Yet, according to Anderson, the two trailer parks, Behland Trailer Park and Chaparral Trailer Park are different in terms of maintenance and code compliance. According to City Manager Vince DiPiazza, “ One of the trailer parks is a constant case of code enforcement cases.” he said. He was referring to Behland Trailer Park.

According to Anderson, two issues that come up with the Behland Trailer Park are the broken fencing around the perimeter of the park and the brush and stuff piled outside of the dumpsters and loose trash.

“I drove through.” Three trailers are in really bad shape.

Additionally some trailers don’t have house numbers posted outside

City Mayor Don McLaughlin suggested putting pictures of the offending properties in the newspaper or on a website.

“Let’s do something.” Councilman Chip King said.

“The (city) staff can come back with an escalation policy,” he said.

The post City Council grapples over scofflaw code offenders appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.

Code enforcement Archives - Uvalde Hesperian

Cutting to the chase on questions about high grass, weeds and City of Uvalde code enforcement

Sweltering in place and no one to call: Council creates city ordinance to address landlord’s responsibility to fix air conditioning

Texas State Law covers tenants be provided with hot water and screens for windows, but air conditioning is not covered.

City Council grapples over scofflaw code offenders