Property upkeep focus of county code changes

Those who live in unincorporated areas would face heavier fines for neglecting their properties if Clark County commissioners approve some proposed codes today .

One would target owners who abandon their dwellings for 35 days or who don't maintain their rentals. They would have 15 days to respond to a notice or be fined $1,000 a day.

They could submit a "rehabilitation plan" to the county to avoid the fines.

Another proposed code would penalize occupants who don't keep up their properties, such as letting their lawn and shrubs become shaggy or not repairing broken windows.

They would be fined $100 a day for the first 10 days, $500 a day for the next 20, and then $1,000 per day after that. The most a resident would pay is $10,000 or three times the cost of fixing the property, whichever is higher.

The current fines run $50 daily for the first 10 days, $100 a day for the next 20, then $200 a day after that. The cap also is $10,000 or three times the cost of abatement, whichever is more.

Owners could be cited for having grass longer than 4 inches, but that's not the purpose of these codes, said Joe Boteilho, who heads county code enforcement.

"Seriously, we're not looking at grass," Boteilho said. "We're looking at bigger issues that affect the neighborhood."

Owners could appeal their fines to the County Commission and ask that they be reduced or waived, Boteilho said.

A third code being proposed would enable the county to take immediate action on structures that endanger the public. The current code requires the county to send a written notice to the owner with a deadline for fixing the hazard.