West Des Moines, IA Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)

Section 4-4-2 opens with a broad definition: whatever is injurious to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, is a nuisance, and the itemized list that follows is expressly non-exclusive. Among the conditions West Des Moines residents report most: subsection (B) covers accumulated rubbish, trash, refuse, junk, and salvage materials such as scrap metal and lumber left to the prejudice of neighbors; subsection (F) covers an inoperable or obsolete vehicle stored, parked, or left on private property, with an exception for vehicles inside a building or held at a properly zoned junkyard; and subsection (H) covers fences that are no longer structurally sound.

Other frequently cited items in the same section include debris such as mud, gravel, snow, or leaves deposited on the public right-of-way (subsection C), dilapidated or dangerous buildings (subsection D), and dilapidated or inoperable mechanical equipment such as HVAC units, pumps, and generators left outside (subsection O). A Community Compliance Specialist investigates reported violations and may pursue either an administrative abatement order or a municipal infraction citation under § 4-4-4(B). Anyone cited three or more times at the same address within twelve months is deemed a habitual violator under § 4-4-3, which lets the City skip the standard notice-and-cure period on later violations.