Home and Lawn Maintenance

The following passages are a brief summary of the Southfield City Code ordinances. For a more detailed listing, please contact the Code Enforcement Department at (248) 796-4140.

Sidewalks

• Sidewalks are the responsibility of the owner.
• All public sidewalks should be kept free of ice, snow and other obstacles. Snow should be removed as soon as possible after a snowfall. Any dangerous sidewalks should be repaired or replaced as necessary.
• Driveways and sidewalks should be free of major cracks and broken areas. The property owner should correct damage by repairing or replacing the driveway/sidewalk.

House Numbers

• All homes should have large, readable numbers that are plainly visible from the street. This helps emergency vehicles find the proper addresses.

Home Maintenance

• All homes should be painted routinely with no visible signs of peeling paint. Aluminum siding and trim should be cleaned routinely.
• All brickwork, especially chimneys, should be free of loose mortar, cracks, broken bricks, and openings.
• Chimneys for fireplaces and wood stoves should be cleaned periodically to prevent a chimney fire.
• The roof of the house should be structurally sound and watertight and have proper drainage to prevent rainwater from leaking into the home and causing dampness to interior walls.
• The homeowner should check the interior walls and ceiling for dampness and wet spots, peeling paint or wallpaper. The roof should be checked for loose or missing shingles and nail pops.
• All metal flashing, valleys and vent stacks should be checked for cracks and holes.
• Windows should not contain broken or cracked glass. Screens should not be ripped or torn.
• All buildings should be maintained in a structurally sound condition, with no sagging rooflines, worn or missing shingles, or tilted/bowed floors and walls.
• All building extensions and attachments, such as fences, porches, gutters and shutters, should be maintained. They should have an even, straight and structurally sound appearance.
• Garage doors should be free of peeling paint and should close tightly and securely.
• Fences should be maintained in a sound manner. All wooden surfaces should be painted and or/treated to prevent deterioration from the weather.
• All fence posts should be anchored firmly in the ground.

Lawn Maintenance

• All yards must be free from weeds, overgrown grass, debris, and illegal storage.
• Grass and shrub areas should be mowed, trimmed and kept weed-free. Lawn grass should not exceed 8 inches in height and weeds should not exceed 12 inches. Mow and trim ditch lines and right-of-way areas along the roadway. Landscaping is expected to be kept neat and clean.
• Yard areas should be free of litter, junk, debris, and scrap storage.