In unincorporated Polk County, overgrown lots, accumulated junk and debris, infestation, and vacant structures open to the public are prohibited under the county's Property Maintenance Ordinance (08-047). Code Enforcement can abate violations and bill the owner, adding the cost as a property lien.
Ordinance 08-047, the Polk County Property Maintenance Ordinance, lets the county abate threats to public safety, health and welfare from overgrown lots two acres or less, infestation, and vacant structures open to the public. When an owner ignores a notice, the county hires a vendor to mow, cut vegetation over 12 inches down to 3 inches, and remove junk, debris and excess bulk waste. Cases are heard by a Code Enforcement Special Magistrate under Ordinance 07-058. Municipalities such as Lakeland, Winter Haven and Bartow enforce their own city property-maintenance codes instead.
Special Magistrate can impose daily fines; the county abates unresolved violations and records the abatement cost as a lien collected via the non-ad-valorem assessment roll on the tax bill.
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See how Polk County's property blight rules stack up against other locations.
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