Code Enforcement

Overview

Homeowners and business owners in Piperton have a responsibility to their neighbors to maintain a safe, clean property. A lack of adequate property maintenance can detract from the quality of life for others and lead to public health and safety concerns.

The Building and Codes Enforcement Department responds to complaints of high grass/weeds, trash, dirt/debris, inoperable/junk vehicles, and other nuisance conditions that may be detrimental to nearby properties and the community at large.

The department also pursues violations of the zoning ordinance. If you have any questions regarding the allowable uses, structures, setbacks, height and other zoning regulations on your property, please consult the Piperton Zoning Ordinance or contact us directly.

Report a Violation

To report a violation, please call the Building and Codes Department at 901-853-4830, ext. 4 or use the Online Violation Complaint Form.

In order to provide reasonable notice of the violation and allow time for the responsible party to abate the violation, please be aware that a nuisance complaint may take several weeks to resolve. If desired, we are happy to keep you informed on the status of the complaint.

Compliance

Potential violations are discovered through citizen complaints, referrals from other agencies, officer observations in an assigned area, and systematic inspections in a target area. Once a complaint is received, an officer will conduct an investigation to determine if there is an ordinance violation. If there is a violation, the officer may notify the owner verbally or in writing. After a violation order is issued for structural or environmental conditions, periodic follow-up inspections are conducted to determine if compliance has been met. The owner may Email Code Compliance Officer Thomas Tucker or contact by phone at 901-853-4830, ext. 4 to discuss the needed repairs and arrange a plan of action to meet compliance. Follow-up inspections are done to determine if compliance has been met. Depending on the circumstances and severity, the department can opt to give an extension to meet compliance or move forward with court action. Should the owner fail to comply, court action can be initiated at any time after the first follow-up inspection. The department utilizes the Piperton Municipal Court to resolve cases where the violator has voluntarily failed to comply.