Ordinances
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Ordinances
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Eaton Householder’s Guide to Residential Ordinances
The Town of Eaton has a number of ordinances which pertain to the use and maintenance of both public and private property. Included on this page are some of the ordinances which apply to residential property. These ordinances are for the safety and well-being of all residents of the town. Action on a specific violation of an ordinance can be initiated either by a complaint to the proper authority of the Town or by observation of the violation by the person or persons enforcing the ordinances. If you are the owner or party in control of the property on which a violation occurs, you will be contacted to discuss the problem and will receive an explanation of what must be done to comply with the ordinance. If you correct the violation within the allowed time frame, the case file will be closed. If you fail to correct the violation or only partially correct it, you will once again be contacted to encourage compliance before a summons is issued requiring you to appear in Municipal Court. Personnel in the Town Hall will be happy to discuss or answer your questions. Please feel free to contact them: >In person at the Town of Eaton, 223 1st Street >By telephone at 454-3338 for Town personnel or 454-2212 for the Police Department >On the internet at www.eatonco.org. On the Town of Eaton website are individual email addresses for all office personnel. EATON MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES Chapter VI 1. Building Permits: (Eaton Municipal Code 6-1-11) It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a building permit from the Town Clerk’s office. 2. Fences: (EMC 6-2-1,2,3) a. Fences, walls and other architectural screening devices cannot exceed 6 feet in height. b. Fences may not be equipped with barbed wire, spikes or similar devices and may not carry an electric charge. c. Fences may not extend into any public right-of-way and may not be within three feet of a sidewalk unless a permit has been issued by the town. d. Fences shall be placed on the owner’s property except when an agreement between adjoining owners has been reached. e. If the owner places a fence on property on which the town has an easement of any type, then the owner assumes all responsibility for loss if it becomes necessary to remove such fence in order to gain access to utilities in the easement. 3. Sight Distance Obstruction: (EMC 6-4-2,3) A sight distance obstruction is any object or objects that interfere with the ability of motor vehicle operators or pedestrians to adequately view traffic or control devices for the purpose of safe and proper use of public rights-of-way. These objects may be: walls, fences, hedges, shrubs, trees, signs, benches, vehicles and other such objects extending more than 3 feet above the flowline or suspended less than 8 feet above the surrounding grade or obstructing more than 10% of the sight distance. (A rule of thumb for estimating sight distance is a triangle measuring 25 feet back from the corner of the curb and connecting the ends of those lines extended into both streets.) It is unlawful to fail to remove a sight distance obstruction. If the obstruction is not removed, the town may remove it and cause the responsible party to pay for its removal.
Chapter VIII 4. Auctions: (EMC 8-2-2) A person must first obtain a license in order to sell or offer to sell or cause to be sold at public auction in the Town any property, real or personal. Chapter IX 5. Failure to Pay Water Fees: (EMC 9-1-2) Any owner, lessee, or user of water who, after the water service is turned on, fails to pay the water fees established by the Town Board shall have the water turned off by the Town or its representatives until all fees are paid in full. a. The individual is liable for interest on any delinquent water rates from the due date at a rate of one percent (1%) per month, reasonable attorney’s fees, and other costs of collection. b. If the fees are not paid Town may cause any and all delinquent charges to be certified to the Weld County Treasurer and be collected by the treasurer in the same manner as taxes are authorized to be paid and collected. 6. Fire Hydrants: (EMC 9-1-5) It is unlawful for any person to operate a fire hydrant except authorized employees of the Town and members of the fire department and other persons who have obtained written permission from the Town.
7. Non-Potable System Irrigation: (EMC 9-5-7) In all subdivisions or parts of Town where a nonpotable water system is installed, use of such system shall be required for all lot irrigation. Chapter X 8. Posting Notices: (EMC 10-6-7) Any person who places a posted notice or advertisement upon any public or private property without the consent of the owner of such property commits the violation of posting notice without consent. 9. Abandoned Motor Vehicles: (EMC 10-6-17) Any person who abandons any motor vehicle upon a street, highway, right-of-way, or any other public property, or upon any private property without the express consent of the owner commits the violation of abandonment of a motor vehicle. a. Abandonment occurs when: 1.The motor vehicle has been left for more than seven days unattended and unmoved; or 2.The license plates or other identifying marks have been removed from the motor vehicle; or 3.The motor vehicle has been damaged or is deteriorated so extensively that it has no value but for salvage; or 4.The owner has been notified by a law enforcement agency to remove the motor vehicle and it has not been removed within 3 days after notification. 10. Abandoning Iceboxes and other Items: (EMC 10-6-18) It is unlawful to abandon, in any public place or private place accessible to children, any chest, closet, piece of furniture, refrigerator, icebox, or other article having a compartment of a capacity of one and one-half (1.5) cubic feet or more, and having a door or lid which, when closed, cannot be opened easily from the inside. 11. Door-to-Door Solicitation: (EMC 10-6-20) No person shall solicit door to door without first depositing with the Town Clerk a copy of a valid Colorado sales tax license and delivering to the Town Clerk an affidavit that such person will charge, collect and pay over to the State Department of Revenue all state and Town sales tax. a. Persons who wish to prevent solicitation may post a "No Soliciting" sign on the premises. b. This Chapter does not apply to religious, charitable or nonprofit organizations. 12. Curfew for Minors: (EMC 10-7-1) It is unlawful for any minor who has not reached his sixteenth (16th) birthday to be or remain upon any streets or alley or other public places within the town, or to remain in any establishment open to the public generally within the Town between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. except when accompanied by a parent or guardian or for lawful employment. 13. Illegal to discharge firearms: (EMC 10-8-7) It is unlawful to discharge any firearm (pistol, rifle, shotgun or pellet gun) or any bow and arrow within the Town except in a shooting gallery. Chapter XI 14. Dog License: (EMC 11-1-2) All dogs older than six (6) months of age must have an annually renewable license. Licenses are available from the Town hall. Dogs must have a current rabies vaccination in order to be licensed. Proof of vaccination must be provided. Cats are not required to have a license. 15. Control of Animals: (EMC 11-1-3) The following rules apply to the control of pets: a. Any animal that constitutes a public nuisance may be impounded b. All animals must be kept under control. Dogs may not run loose at any time c. No owner of an animal may allow the animal to disturb the peace and quiet. An animal may not be allowed to bark, whine, howl or make any other noises continuously or excessively and may not interfere with the sleep of any person. d. Animals may not be allowed to damage public or private property. e. Vicious dogs are not allowed. 16. Animal Care: (11-1-9) All animals must be treated in a humane manner. It is unlawful for any person to: a. Fail to provide an animal with adequate food, water and shelter b. Physically abuse any animal c. Cause, instigate or permit any combat between animals d. Abandon an animal (leave unattended for more than 48 hours) e. Intentionally or maliciously kill an animal f. Confine an animal within a parked, closed vehicle without adequate ventilation g. Expose an animal to any poisonous substance. h. Set any type of steel-jaw or other inhumane trap. 17. Excess Pet Permit: (EMC 11-1-14) No household may keep more that two (2) pets of a single species without first receiving a valid permit. Permits for excess pets must be approved by the Town Board. 18. Keeping of Wild Animals: (EMC 11-1-16) No person may keep any wild animal as a pet or for display unless that person has received a permit or license from the State Wildlife Department.
19. Keeping Other Animals: (EMC 11-1-17) It is unlawful to keep any hog, pig, swine or livestock within the Town limits. (Livestock means: cattle, bison, mules, burrow, llamas, ostriches, horses, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits) 20. Animal Waste: (EMC 11-1-20) The owner of an animal shall immediately remove any waste deposited by the animal in public areas, recreational areas, or private property which is not his own. Chapter XII 21. Accumulation of Waste: (EMC 12-1-1) Trash, rubbish and waste material may not accumulate so that it becomes a health hazard. Refuse may not accumulate so that it becomes a nuisance. 22. Weeds and Overhanging Branches: (EMC12-1-3) The landowner is responsible to see that weeds are kept cut low to the ground on all lots, along sidewalks and along alleys. In addition, branches of trees or shrubs must be cut so that they do not obstruct or impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic and they may not impair visibility such that they constitute a hazard. If the owner fails to cut the weeds or branches, the Town may cut them and charge the owner for the work. Chapter XIII 23. Sidewalk Maintenance: (EMC 13-2-1..7) It is the responsibility of the owner to maintain the sidewalks that lie adjacent to private property. Sidewalks are determined to be in need of repair if: a. Any offset in elevation between sections is more than three-fourths (3/4) inch. b. There is obvious spalling on the sidewalk. c. Cracks are wider than one-half (1/2) inch. d. Existing sidewalk sections are not level. If the owner does not repair damaged sidewalks within ninety (90) days after being notified by the Town Board that repairs are needed, the Town may repair the sidewalk and assess the owner for its costs plus a five percent (5%) administration fee. Chapter XIV 24. Duty to Keep Sidewalk Clean: (EMC 14-1-1) The owner or occupant of a property has the responsibility to remove snow and ice from the public sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after a snowstorm. 25. Permit Required: (14-3-1) A permit must be issued before any sidewalk, curb, gutter or storm sewer is constructed. 26. Town Parks: (EMC 14-4-1,2) The following rules apply to all parks: a. All parks are closed to the public between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. b. Vandalism, defacing or destruction of any facility, tree or other property within the park is prohibited. c. It is unlawful to place any tent, building, booth or other structure in any park without first obtaining a permit from the Town. d. Fires are prohibited in all parks except in fireplaces or grills. 27. Regulation of Trees and Vegetation: (EMC 14-6-1..7) a. No trees or woody plants may be planted on public right-of-way without first obtaining a permit from the Town. b. Trees near street intersections must be planted at least 25 feet from the curb corner and may not obstruct motor vehicle operators view. c. Trees must be at least five feet from the sidewalk in areas with a combination sidewalk, curb and gutter. d. The following trees may NOT be planted on public right-of-way: any Populus species(excluding Aspen), any Willow species, box elder, Siberian (Chinese) Elm, any weeping or pendulus type tree, any tree with a bushy growth habit, any shrub or hedge which by its habit of growth would obstruct or restrict use of the right-of-way. 28. Posting of Signs: Posting of signs on poles, trees or structures in the public right of way is prohibited, except: a. political signs b. notices of public events sponsored by a nonprofit organization c. yard sales d. real estate signs. Signs must be removed within three days after the event. Real estate signs may remain a maximum of ten days after closing. Chapter XV 29. Abandoned or Inoperable Vehicles: (EMC 15-2-3..5) Inoperable vehicles may not be parked or stored on any property for more than 30 days unless they are enclosed in a garage or other building. A vehicle is deemed inoperable if: a. There is no current license plate on the vehicle b. The vehicle or parts thereof are placed on jacks, blocks or other supports c. The absence of one or more parts of the vehicle necessary for lawful operation of the vehicle. 30. Prohibited Parking: (EMC 15-3-1) No trailer, semitrailer, truck, truck-tractor or bus may be parked for more than 2 hours on town streets or alleys, not including the time the vehicle is being loaded or unloaded. 31. Parking of Trailers, Campers and Boats: (EMC 15-4-1,2) No trailer, pickup camper or boat may be parked on public streets unless it is physically attached to a motor vehicle. If attached to a vehicle they may be parked for no more than 24 hours. Motor homes may be temporarily parked (for a maximum of 14 days) by nonresident visitors subject to a permit issued by the Chief of Police. Trucks and moving vans may be parked for no more than 24 hours for loading or unloading personal goods. |
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Town of Eaton
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