09/17/2026
📢 SPERRY CODE ENFORCEMENT REMINDER
The Sperry Police Department would like to remind residents, property owners, landlords, and businesses about property maintenance requirements under Town ordinance. These requirements apply to both residential and commercial properties.
🌱 GRASS, WEEDS & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
Property owners and occupants are responsible for keeping their property maintained and free from excessive grass, weeds, trash, rubbish, and debris. Vegetation exceeding 12 inches in height may be considered a violation.
🛣️ RIGHT-OF-WAY & DRAINAGE DITCHES
A common misconception is that maintenance responsibility always ends at your property line.
Town ordinance requires property owners and occupants to maintain grass and vegetation within the road right-of-way adjoining their property, including areas between the property and roadway where no sidewalk exists.
This may include roadside drainage ditches. Ditches must also remain free of debris, culverts, pipes, or other obstructions that interfere with the natural flow of water.
Owners and occupants are also required to keep adjoining sidewalks, gutters, streets, and alleys free from weeds, trash, and obstructions.
🚗 JUNKED & INOPERABLE VEHICLES
Town ordinance prohibits keeping junked, wrecked, dismantled, abandoned, or inoperable vehicles in the open on public or private property for more than 168 hours (7 days) unless an ordinance exception applies.
The accumulation or storage of junk vehicles and vehicle parts may also constitute a nuisance.
🏢 COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
These requirements are not limited to residential properties. Commercial properties are also subject to Town nuisance and property-maintenance ordinances.
There are exceptions for certain vehicles or parts associated with lawfully established businesses, appropriately zoned properties, or vehicles completely enclosed within a building. However, simply being commercial property does not automatically exempt a property from these requirements.
🏘️ WHY DOES CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTER?
Code Enforcement isn't just about tall grass or writing citations. The appearance of our community has an impact on Sperry's future.
Clean and well-maintained homes, businesses, lots, and rights-of-way help protect property values and encourage economic development.
When families, homebuilders, developers, and businesses consider investing in Sperry, what they see when they drive through town matters. A community that is clean, neat, and shows pride in itself is more attractive for new housing, businesses, and investment.
That means responsible growth, more commerce, a stronger local tax base, and additional resources that can benefit our schools, infrastructure, public safety, and community.
Every property in town makes a difference.
Our goal is to work with property owners to correct violations and help make Sperry a cleaner, safer, and more attractive place to live, work, and invest.
📖 These requirements can be found in Part 8 – Health and Nuisances and Part 14 – Streets and Sidewalks of the Town of Sperry Code of Ordinances.
A cleaner community today helps build a stronger Sperry.
