Sandy, UT Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Blight defined at
- Sandy City Code §19-1-2
- Investigator
- Community Development Director, §19-1-3
- Notice method
- Personal service or mail, §19-1-4
- Abatement authority
- U.C.A. §10-11-3 via §19-1-7
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor, §19-1-6
- Latest amendment
- Ord. 24-18, effective 10/15/2024
Summary
Sandy City Code § 19-1-2 defines 'blight' broadly, covering debris, rotting or crumbling structures and fences, and dead or overgrown landscaping, regardless of neighboring conditions. The Community Development Director investigates complaints, issues written notice under § 19-1-4, and can abate uncorrected weeds, garbage, or refuse violations under § 19-1-7.
Blight means unsightly condition, including the accumulation of debris, litter, rubbish, rubble, structures or fences characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, or rusting; landscaping that is dead, characterized by uncontrolled growth or lack of maintenance, or damaged; and any other similar conditions of disrepair and deterioration regardless of the condition of other properties in the neighborhood.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 19-1 of the Sandy City Code sets the citywide standard for property maintenance and blight. Section 19-1-2 defines blight as an unsightly condition, including the accumulation of debris, litter, rubbish, rubble, structures or fences characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, or rusting, and landscaping that is dead, characterized by uncontrolled growth or lack of maintenance, or damaged, and the definition applies regardless of the condition of other properties in the neighborhood, so a property cannot point to a neglected neighbor as a defense.
Enforcement starts with an inspection: § 19-1-3 authorizes the Community Development Director to examine any real property in the City to check compliance. Once a violation is confirmed, § 19-1-4 requires the Director to identify the owner and serve written notice, in person or by mail to the last-known address on file with the County Recorder, giving a deadline to eradicate, destroy, or remove the violation. § 10-11-3, to abate uncorrected weeds, garbage, or refuse directly, a section the City amended by Ord. 24-18 in October 2024.
Beyond the general blight standard, Sandy separately adopted the 1997 Edition of the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings as part of its building code under § 18-1-1, giving the Building Official a parallel track for structures that are unsafe rather than merely unsightly.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Title 19's property maintenance standards, including an unremedied blight notice, is a Class B misdemeanor under § 19-1-6, sentenced under state statute; Sandy's default fine and jail terms in §§ 1-2-2 through 1-2-4 top out at $1,000 for an individual or $5,000 for a business, plus up to six months in jail, and the City can still abate the condition and bill the cost separately under § 19-1-7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as blight under Sandy's code?
How does Sandy notify a property owner of a blight violation?
What happens if I ignore the notice?
Does Sandy handle dangerous buildings the same way as blight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy
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Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle property blight.