Property Maintenance in Taunton, MA

If you live in Taunton or are thinking about moving there, property maintenance are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Taunton has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of property maintenance, and some of them might surprise you.

Property Blight

Taunton Code § 350-1 targets dilapidated buildings, overgrowth, debris, stagnant water and abandoned structures as nuisances that blight neighborhoods and hurt property values. Section 350-4 requires every property, occupied or vacant, to stay in good repair and sanitary condition, and city officials can declare a noncompliant property a public nuisance and order repairs within 10 days.

Key details: Governing chapter: Ch. 350, Article I, Nuisances. Notice-to-cure period: 10 days after service of notice. Enforcing officials: Building Commissioner, Board of Health, Fire/Police Chiefs. First-offense fine: $50, rising to $300. City may abate: Enter and remove nuisance, bill owner.

Ignoring a nuisance-removal notice under § 350-5 is enforceable criminally or through noncriminal disposition under MGL c. 40, § 21D, with fines of $50 for a first violation, $100 for a second, $200 for a third, and $300 for the fourth and every violation after that under § 350-6. Each day the nuisance continues counts as a separate offense, and the city can still enter the property and remove the nuisance at the owner's expense regardless of any fine imposed.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Taunton actively enforces its property blight requirements.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Owners of vacant or foreclosing residential property in Taunton must register the property with the Building Commissioner, name a local contact responsible for security and maintenance, and inspect it monthly for the duration of the vacancy. Code §§ 350-10 and 350-11 set the registration and upkeep duties; failing to maintain the property costs up to $300 per week.

Key details: Registers with: Building Commissioner. Registration fee: $100 per year. Foreclosure registration deadline: Within 7 days of foreclosure filing. Inspection frequency: Monthly for duration of vacancy. Failure-to-register fine: $300.

Failing to register a vacant or foreclosing property at all draws a $300 fine under § 350-13(A), and failing to properly name the required local contact is a separate $300 fine under § 350-13(B). Once registered, failing to actually maintain the property costs up to $300 for every week it goes unmaintained under § 350-13(C). No fine takes effect until 90 days after the article's passage, per § 350-17.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Taunton actively enforces its vacant lot maintenance requirements.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Owners of property bordering a sidewalk in a business, central business or highway business district must clear the full width of snow within four hours of daytime snowfall ending, or by 11:00 a.m. the next day if it stopped overnight. Ice must come off within 24 hours of forming. Violators face a $50 fine per violation.

Key details: Applies in: business, central business, highway business districts. Daytime snow deadline: 4 hours after it stops falling. Overnight snow deadline: 11:00 a.m. next day. Ice removal deadline: 24 hours after forming. Maximum fine: $50 per violation.

Failing to clear the full sidewalk width within four hours after daytime snowfall stops, by 11:00 a.m. after overnight snowfall, or failing to remove ice within 24 hours of it forming, is a violation of Section 383-15 punishable by a fine of up to $50 for each violation. Property owners in a designated business, central or highway business district bear this duty, not the City.

The Bottom Line

Taunton is tougher than many cities when it comes to property maintenance. Out of the 3 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Taunton, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Taunton's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.