The purpose of code enforcement is to provide a reasonable level of health, safety, property protection, and general welfare for the community. Most towns and cities in the United States have some form of code enforcement ordinances or they follow a larger organization such as the International Code Council. Lennox does both in the form of local municipal ordinances and following the ICC’s International Property Maintenance Code, with the current version being the 2021 IPMC. This code is updated and released every three years and Lennox adopts the new version shortly after it is released. Lennox also follows the ICC’s International Building Codes & International Residential Codes on the residential and commercial construction side.
Common code violations include:
- Tall grass/weeds – Any grass and weeds over 8” tall are considered a violation of the Municipal Ordinance 3.0104. All weeds listed on South Dakota’s noxious weed list are to be eliminated. That list can be found on the SD Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources website.
- Parking on unimproved surface, typically grass – All vehicles and trailers need to be parked on a hard surface and cannot be just parked on the grass. Examples of a hard surface are a concrete, asphalt, or paver pad. Loose stone, gravel, crushed asphalt, or crushed concrete are not allowed in residential zoning districts. Existing gravel driveways are allowed as long as they are properly maintained.
- IPMC 302.1 sanitation - Exterior property and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. This is a generalized code and can tie in with other codes similar to the rubbish/garbage code below.
- IPMC rubbish and garbage: Exterior property and premises, and the interior of every structure, shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage. Lennox has a municipal ordinance requiring garbage service for all residents inside the city limits that goes along with this IPMC code.
- Inoperable vehicles: Vehicles that are in disrepair, have flat tires, non-drivable, unlicensed etc. are not allowed to sit out in the open. Vehicles currently being repaired or worked on as a "project" are encouraged to be stored inside.
If you have any questions regarding code enforcement, do not hesitate to reach out via email at codes@hartfordsd.us or call/text at 605-681-4552.