Code Enforcement

What is Code Enforcement?

The process of enforcing the North Carolina General Statutes pertaining to the City of Burlington’s Code of Ordinances, ensuring residents and visitors with safe, clean, and healthy places to live, work, and play. We are a proactive department and react as quickly as possible to complaints. Code Enforcement aims to preserve and enhance the safety, appearance, and economic stability of our City.

When nuisance violations are identified or complaints are received, a Code Enforcement Officer is assigned to the location of the potential violation. If there is a legitimate violation the Officer will post the property with a notice sign in the yard and the owner of the property will receive a letter sent via regular USPS mail. The letter and property posting states what the violation is and advises the property owner that they have 10 days to comply. The Officer will go back to the location on the 11th day to inspect the location for compliance.

When zoning violations are identified or complaints are received, a Code Enforcement Officer is assigned to the location of the potential violation. If there is a legitimate violation the Officer will send a violation notice to the property owner via USPS regular mail. The property owner then has 30 days from the date of the letter to bring the property into compliance.

Code Enforcement receives complaints through various ways of communication:

What happens if there is no compliance?

Our Code Enforcement Officers work closely with citizens to assist in the abatement of the violation.  If the owner does not correct a nuisance violation by the 10th day the Code Enforcement Officer will go back to inspect the location and if the violation has not been abated, they will be assigned a City approved Contractor to abate the violation. The charges for the clean-up plus a $100 administrative fee will be attached as a lien on the property. However, if there are additional violations at the same property within a calendar year the owner is charged an automatic $250 fine and potential contractor fees.

With zoning violations, if compliance is not met, the property owner could be subject to Civil penalties of $100.00 per/day until compliance is met.