State of the City: Code Enforcement

Code Enforcement BY ASHLEY DOBBS

The City of Ocala Code Enforcement helps maintain a community aesthetic by keeping neighborhoods free of overgrown lawns, abandoned vehicles and unsightly debris. While code enforcement personnel are sometimes classified as safety professionals, the organizational structure of a code enforcement department is set up differently than a traditional officer role. Code enforcement officers wear many hats and their roles can differ within various jurisdictions. However, within the City of Ocala, their primary role is to investigate complaints and work with businesses and homeowners to comply with city ordinances.

The City of Ocala Code Enforcement Department consists of 12 workers that serve within the city limit – four code enforcement officers, two environmental enforcement officers, two parking enforcement officers, one senior enforcement officer, two administrative staff and a manager who oversees the daily operations. Each day this staff works diligently to educate and inform the public of ordinances and ensure the enforcement of these codes. Maintaining an open line of communication, understanding, and streamlining process with our citizens creates an opportunity to increase the education and assistance available within the city.

“We support and enhance the quality of life in our city by working with property owners of aging buildings, homes and properties to prevent them from becoming unsightly. This is our most visible role, the ‘battle of blight’,” states James Pogue, City of Ocala Code Enforcement manager. “Our job performance is easily measured by the impact of property values and the image of our community.”

It is the duty of this department to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Ocala. This division of the city enforces codes that pertain to zoning laws, contracting and permitting requirements for both the City of Ocala and the State of Florida; including but not limited to occupational licenses, sign codes, alcohol location

“This is our most visible role, the ‘battle of blight.’ Our job performance is easily measured by the impact of property values and the image of our community.”

permits and many other local ordinances and Florida statutes.

Staff will make every attempt to reach those in the community that may be out of compliance and in violation of an ordinance. In many cases, residents may not be aware they are out of compliance until receiving a notification. Officers may grant a reasonable time to correct the situation before any additional action is taken and owners will not be deemed repeat offenders until extensive documentation shows that no action was taken, or requests to appear at a public hearing have been ignored.

Home and business owners are encouraged to be proactive in the process. “Code Enforcement recently sponsored our first community clean-up event where we coordinated with volunteers and other city departments to assist with picking up litter, garbage removal, grass cutting, home safety inspections and smoke alarms,” said Pogue. “This is the first time that I know of where, instead of Code Enforcement coming in and telling property owners what they need to do, Code Enforcement came into the community and helped citizens clean.”

Ashley Dobbs is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the City Of Ocala.