Surprise! You’ve won the Sewall’s Point Code Violation Lottery
Ah, a TSP hang-tag is swinging from your doorknob or worse yet, you’ve received the red-letter
edition of certified mail with case number and hearing date. The implied message: Fix this or
else. You have violated a town code! Your indiscretion has been noticed and reported by the
police, code enforcement officer/building inspector, or some unsolicited neighborly watch
volunteer.
1. DON’T PANIC but RE-READ the notice carefully: identify and understand the violation and
the time allotted to fix it.
Common Sewall’s Point violations: tall grass, bare spots, or debris on lawn, unauthorized tree
removal, shed/fence/gate/dock issues, visible boat/work truck/garbage or recycle containers,
un-permitted work.
2. CONTACT and PROACTIVELY COMMUNICATE with the town building inspector (the code
enforcement officer) and the town manager. Make sure you fully understand the violation,
what the code says, the time allotted, and what is required to fix it. If necessary, share any
"special circumstances" the town might be unaware of like hospitalization, cancer treatments,
death in family, financial issues, etc. You might also need to graciously ask for an extension of
time and/or discuss various "fixes" to bring the property into compliance: like plant another
tree, drill holes in that cement drive to make it permeable, permit the new roof on the dock. Be
sure to get all these agreements verified in writing.
3. TAKE ACTION: FIX THE VIOLATION like your property value and your ownership depends on
it.
Mow the lawn, remove debris, seed or sod the lawn, plant the trees, hire the
professionals/contractors, pay the permit. Keep records, receipts, call logs, emails, texts,
before and after photos…all with dates. Keep the town informed of this progress in writing.
Remember: Communication, Speed, and Documentation are your friends.
4. COMPLIANCE: Avoid the Hearing. Sewall’s Point staff say they prefer voluntary compliance.
They’d rather see you fix it than fine you. If you fix the violation and achieve compliance the
hearing may be canceled.
5. NONCOMPLIANCE: Advance to the Hearing. Hearing dates are generally the second
Wednesday of the month at town Hall and held before the CEB board and/or
Magistrate…whichever the town chooses. The CEB board and Magistrate will be provided
packets of the town’s information supporting the violation. The code enforcement officer, town
manager, town attorney, and police if involved, will be present to represent the town. Attend
with a good attitude and your own evidence, documentation, timelines, photos, emails,
receipts, and your lucky charm. Consider hiring a court reporter, and attorney.
THE SERIOUSNESS OF NONCOMPLIANCE: Besides court costs, fines start at $250/day for first
offenses, $500/day for repeats, both with no ceiling limits. Tree removal without a permit is
based on tree girth and can be up to $5,000 per tree. Continuing in noncompliance is costly:
fines pile up, liens get recorded, and the town starts foreclosure proceedings. Sadly, this has
happened in Sewall’s Point.
THE INTENT OF CODE enforcement exists to keep property values high, and our community beautiful and safe. It should never be used to enrich a town or used as an instrument against residents
Let’s all work to that end by educating ourselves in town codes, and enforcement procedures to avoid violations and fines.
Also let’s keep code enforcement from becoming complaint driven by communicating with our neighbors first. We just might become an unsolicited neighborly volunteer that helps another in their time of need.
That is a highly constructive and community-minded perspective. Balancing regulatory compliance with neighborly empathy creates a much stronger, safer, and tighter-knit neighborhood.
Here is a breakdown of how communities can actively shift code enforcement from a punitive system to a collaborative one.
Key Pillars of Neighborly Code Enforcement
- Education Over Enforcement: Understanding local ordinances prevents accidental violations.
- Proactive Communication: Talking to neighbors directly resolves issues before official complaints occur.
- Community Support: Offering physical help to neighbors who are struggling maintains community standards naturally.
- Advocacy for Fairness: Ensuring local government uses fines for compliance, not revenue generation.