1. What is Code Enforcement?
2. How does the code enforcement process work?
3. What is an “Administrative Citation”?
4. What are the City's requirements for noise control
and how can I make a complaint about noise?
5. What are the allowable hours of operation for motorized
landscape equipment?
6. Can I keep my portable basketball backstop on the sidewalk or in the street?
7. What regulations apply to the storage and placementof trash cans?
8. How do I dispose of large or bulky items, such as a water heater, sofa or appliance?
9. Branches and limbs from my neighbor’s
tree are growing over my property. Can the City require
them to be cut?
10. Do I need a permit for a garage
sale?
11. I am organizing a neighborhood
garage sale, how do I obtain a permit?
12. What other regulations apply to
garage sales?
13. Is there a limit to the number
of dogs/cats that I may have?
14. Can I park my motorhome on the street in front of
my residence?
15. Out-of-town visitors are coming and would like to
park their RV on the street. Is this permissible?
16. I just bought an RV and don’t haven’t
obtain a space in a storage yard yet. May I park
it on the street temporarily?
17. Can I park vehicles on the front lawn area of my home?
18. Who can I call regarding a barking
dog nuisance?
19. Who can I call regarding rats,
mosquitoes, or flies?
20. I operate a business in the City of Cypress. Can I post a temporary sign or banner in front of my business?
21. Can I operate a “home-based business” from
my residence?
22. What are some of the primary concerns associated with the operation of a home-based
business?
23. The information I'm looking for is not here. How can I contact the Code Enforcement
Division?
24. What can I do if I believe something is in violation
of the City Code?
25. Do I have to identify myself in order to lodge a
code enforcement complaint?
1. What is Code Enforcement?
Code
enforcement is a process that works to eliminate blight,
improve and preserve the appearance of the City’s
residential and business areas, and create a community
where those who live, work, or visit can experience
a sense of pride.
2.
How does the code enforcement process work?
The
process may begin with either a complaint
filed by a resident or business, or by city staff observing
a problem through the City’s proactive code enforcement
program.The City has a code enforcement officer
whose responsibility is to investigate complaints of
property maintenance and municipal code violations.The
City’s code enforcement officer also periodically
patrols the City proactively to ensure compliance with
the City’s property maintenance and
municipal code provisions.
Most
often, a code enforcement action is initiated through
a complaint filed by a resident or business. After
a complaint is received, an inspection is made to
determine the validity, nature, and extent of the
concern. If a Code violation is observed, the property
owner is informed and given an opportunity to bring
the property into compliance.
If corrective action is not completed
in a reasonable manner, or time, and after repeated
attempts on the part of the code enforcement officer
to resolve the issue(s) the City may, as a last
resort issue an Administrative Citation or file
a criminal complaint with the City Attorney’s
office. However,
the primary goal is to resolve the code violation
through voluntary compliance, and the vast majority
of cases are resolved in this manner.
3.
What is an “Administrative Citation”?
An administrative
citation is similar to a parking ticket in that appearance
before a judge or magistrate is not required.Fines
are significant and are $100.00, $200.00, and $500.00
respectively for the first, second, third and continuing
violations.Payment
of administrative fines must be made to the City within
15 calendar days.
4. What are the City's requirements for noise control
and how can I make a complaint about noise?
Noise
in residential areas is restricted by time of day,
as well as the intensity level and duration of the
noise event. The
noise ordinance is designed to address recurring noise
sources such as pool pumps/motors, air conditioning
units and other stationary noise sources. For
noise sources such as loud parties, vehicles, or music
please contact the Cypress Police Department at (714)
229-6600.
5. What are the allowable hours of operation for motorized landscape
equipment?
The City’s Noise Ordinance
prohibits the operation of motorized landscaping
equipment (except leaf blowers) before 7:00 a.m.
and after 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and before
8:00 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays
and federal holidays. Leaf blowers may not be
operated before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday, and may not be operated
before 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.Use
of leaf blowers on Sundays is prohibited.
6. Can I keep my portable basketball backstop on the sidewalk or in
the street?
No. Privately owned sporting
equipment such as basketball backboard structures,
hockey nets, skateboard ramps and similar items
may not be permanently left in the “public
right-of-way”.The
public right-of-way includes the street, sidewalk, parkway, driveway apron,
and alleys.Residents are
asked to put these items back on their private property once they are done
using them so that street sweepers and other equipment may access the area.
7. What regulations apply to the storage and placement
of trash cans?
Trash containers may not be placed
at the point of pickup before 6:00 p.m. on the day
preceding pickup, and must be removed before 6:00 a.m.
on the day following pickup. Additionally, trash cans
must be stored in an area not visible from the
public right-of-way.
8. How do I dispose of large or bulky items, such
as a water heater, sofa or appliance?
Residents may request that two bulky items per
year be picked up by Consolidated Disposal. To
arrange for a bulky item pick-up, residents can
contact Consolidated directly at (800) 299-4898.
Large items are generally picked-up on Thursdays,
so discarded items should not be placed on the
parkway for removal until the evening prior to
the scheduled pick-up.
9.
Branches and limbs from my neighbor’s tree
are growing over my property.Can
the City require them to be cut?
No.The City’s Municipal
Code does not prohibit or regulate the growth
of a tree branch/limb between private property.
However the City does prohibit the growth of
tree branches/limbs that grow over the City’s
public right-of-way and which obstruct passage
of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclist, or which
obstruct clear visibility of traffic signals
or signs.
10. Do I need a permit for a garage sale?
Yes.The City requires that persons who want to hold a garage/yard
sale obtain a no-fee permit from the City’s Community
Development Department. The
permit must be posted and visible from the street while
the sale is occurring.
11. I am organizing a neighborhood garage sale, how
do I obtain a permit?
Whether a garage sale is for a single individual, or an entire tract, a
garage sale permit must be issued and posted on-site.You
may obtain permits for others involved in a neighborhood garage sale event,
however you must submit a signed authorization (a simple note is sufficient)
from the other participants authorizing you to obtain the permit on their
behalf.
12. What other regulations apply to garage sales? Items may not be placed or displayed in the public right of way (including the street, sidewalk, parkway, and driveway apron).
- All goods, wares and merchandise must be the personal property of the permanent resident(s) hosting the garage sale.The items offered for sale may only be of a household nature, and may not have been acquired elsewhere for the express purpose of resale.
- Garage sale signs may not be posted on telephone poles, streetlights, traffic signs, or any other structures within the public right-of-way. Garage sale signs may be posted off-site (with the property owners consent) no more than one day preceding the event, and must be removed not more than one day following the end of the event.
- No more than two (2) events may be held per calendar year at each residential site.
- The event may not exceed three (3) consecutive days.
13. Is there a limit to the number of dogs/cats that I may have?
Yes. Households may have a maximum of three
(3) dogs, three (3) cats, or a combination of both
not exceeding three. Additional animals in excess of
this provision may be kept in single family zones
subject to City Council approval of a conditional
use permit.
14. Can I park my motorhome on the street in front of
my residence?
The City of Cypress
Municipal Code has an “oversize vehicle ordinance” which
prohibits the placement of vehicles that are “oversized” on
City streets between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. An oversized
vehicle is any vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds eight (8)
feet in height, or twenty-two (22) feet in length, or ninety-two (92) inches
in width.
15. Out-of-town visitors are coming and would like to park their RV
on the street. Is
this permissible?
Yes. The
Police Department may issue a temporary permit for
overnight parking for oversized vehicles owned by visitors
or house guests temporarily visiting in the city. The
permit is valid for a maximum period of seven (7) days
and may not be issued to vehicles registered to a residence
located within the city.
16.
I recently purchased an RV and have not yet obtained a space in a storage facility. May
I park it on the street temporarily?
Yes. The
Police Department issues temporary permits for vehicles
that belong to residents, or that are newly purchased
and who are in the process of arranging suitable permanent
parking/storage.Such
permits are valid for a maximum of thirty (30) days.
17. Can I park vehicles on the front lawn area of my home?
No. The City’s Municipal
Code prohibits parking vehicles on lawns, landscaped areas, and other unpaved
surfaces. Parking on lawn will be subject to the issuance of Administrative Citation with a fine of $100.00, $200.00 and $500.00 for the first, second, and continuing violation thereafter.
18. Who can I call regarding a barking dog nuisance?
The City of Cypress contracts for animal control
services with the Orange County Health Department,
Animal Control Division.Complaints
or inquiries may be made directly to Animal Control
at (714) 935-6848.
19. Who can I call regarding rats, mosquitoes, or
flies?
The City of Cypress contracts
with the County of Orange for vector control services.Vector control may be contacted directly
at (714) 971-2421.
20. I operate a
business in the City of Cypress. Can I post a temporary sign
or banner in front of my business?
Yes,
however a “Temporary Use Permit” (TUP)
is required prior to the installation of the sign or
banner. The
TUP allows placement of temporary signs/banners for
a period ranging from one (1) to fourteen (14) days
per three (3) month period.However
temporary signs/banners may not be displayed for more
than thirty (30) cumulative days per year. A
Temporary Use Permit may be obtained at the City’s
Community Development Department.The cost of the permit
is $50.00 per issuance.
21.
Can I operate a “home-based business” from
my residence?
Yes, the City
does allow “home-occupations” to be operated
from residences subject to operators obtaining a “Home
Occupation Permit”, a business tax certificate,
and complying with various regulatory conditions. Home
occupation permits may be obtained at the City’s
Community Development Department, and business
tax certificates may be obtained in the City’s Finance
Department.
22. What are some of the primary concerns associated
with the operation of a home-based business?
There are fifteen (15) separate regulatory conditions that must be adhered
to in operating a home based business.The
complete list may be found in Section 23.5 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance.Some
of the primary issues include:
- The business use must be clearly incidental to the residential use of the structure.
- No one other that a resident of the dwelling may be employed by a home occupation operating within that dwelling.
- Home occupations may not generate pedestrian or vehicular traffic beyond that considered normal within the surrounding residential district.
- No direct sales shall be conducted on the premises of any home occupation.
23. The information I'm looking for is not here. How can I contact the Code Enforcement
Division?
Code enforcement
is part of the City’s Community
Development Department. The
code enforcement officer may be contacted directly
at (714) 229-6726.
24. What can I do if I believe something is in violation of the City
Code?
The
Code Enforcement Division responds to complaints of
violation of the City’s Municipal Code and Zoning
Ordinance.You
may contact the City’s code enforcement officer
at (714) 229-6726 to discuss matters relating to Code
violations, learn what issues or conditions constitute
a violation of the City’s codes, and request
further investigation by the code enforcement officer.
25.
Do I have to identify myself in order to lodge
a code enforcement complaint?
No. The City of Cypress routinely
accepts anonymous complaints, and investigates
and resolves such complaints in the same manner
as concerns raised by identified complainants.