Minnehaha County, SD Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Ordinance MC33-04, the county's Declaration and Abatement of Public Nuisances ordinance adopted November 23, 2004 and amended August 15, 2007, declares it a nuisance under Section 2(1) to leave any deteriorated, wrecked, dismantled, derelict, or inoperable property in unusable condition outside an enclosed permanent structure anywhere in unincorporated Minnehaha County. The ordinance specifically lists deteriorated, wrecked, inoperative, or partially dismantled unlicensed motor vehicles, dilapidated or unregistered mobile homes, trailers, boats, machinery, refrigerators, washing machines and other appliances, plumbing fixtures, furniture, automotive parts, waste building materials, and junk as covered items.

Under Section 3, the Planning Director is authorized to enforce the ordinance and may designate other employees to assist. Section 4 gives the Planning Director a right of entry to inspect suspected violations, requiring credentials be presented to an occupant or a reasonable effort to locate the owner before entering unoccupied property, with an inspection warrant available if entry is refused. Under Section 5, once the Planning Director finds a nuisance exists, the responsible person receives written notice, which may be served by mail, and Section 6 makes it unlawful to fail to abate within the time the notice allows; the Planning Director then notifies the State's Attorney of noncompliance.