Common Code Violations

CHAPTER 332. – HOUSING

Sec. 332.01. - Adoption.

The following code is hereby adopted incorporated as fully as if set out in length herein: The International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 edition, International Code Council.

Sec. 74.20. - ACCUMULATION OF JUNK & UNSERVICEABLE VEHICLES

  1. It shall be unlawful for any person, including the owner of any land, to permit, cause, or have thereon any accumulation of junk, except for junk stored in enclosed litter receptacles or completely enclosed buildings, except for junk which will not fit into standard-sized litter receptacles and which is set out for no more than 48 hours for pickup and removal; except for recyclable material stored in receptacles provided for recycling of such material; except for junk stored in a lawfully established and maintained junkyard, garbage or waste disposal site, or sanitary landfill; and except for accumulations of vegetative wastes in agricultural districts.
  2. It shall be unlawful for any person, including the owner of any land, to cause, permit or have stored thereon any unserviceable vehicle, except for unserviceable vehicles stored on the premises of a lawfully established and maintained junkyard, vehicle repair business, garbage or waste disposal site, or sanitary landfill; and except for vehicles stored within a completely enclosed building.

Sec. 74.29. - HAZARDOUS LANDS/DANGEROUS STRUCTURES

It shall be unlawful for any person, including any owner of real property subject to this Chapter, to create, keep, maintain, or allow the existence of any hazardous land or dangerous structure, as defined in section 74.15, in or on such real property.

Sec. 74.36. - NUISANCE OVERGROWTH

  1. Prohibition. Nuisance Overgrowth in excess of eighteen (18) inches in height, measured from the soil level, and excluding the height of seed heads, is prohibited on any Improved Property, as defined, unless exempted as provided in this article. It is the responsibility of the Owner of the Improved Property to mow, cut, and clear Nuisance Overgrowth.
  2. Exemptions from prohibitions. The following properties, lots, tracts, and parcels located within the unincorporated Alachua County are exempt from this prohibition:
    1. Lands with a Rural Agriculture land use designation;
    2. Any property classified as agricultural by the Alachua County Property Appraiser pursuant to Chapter 193, Florida Statutes;
    3. Lands with conservation designation or within a conservation easement or preservation easement;
    4. Waterways, lakes, and designated wetland buffers;
    5. Any rights-of-way of the county, a municipality, the state or federal government;
    6. Any property owned by the county, a municipality, the state or federal government.

    3. Nuisance Overgrowth means any unkept, dead or living plant life, including weeds, grasses, shrubs, bushes, and underbrush, that is uncultivated or has been allowed to grow in an excessively uncontrolled manner or accumulate over time without seasonal maintenance. The following types of plant life are excluded from this definition: those cultivated for food or ornamental purposes and those that are Florida native wildflowers or designed as a Florida-Friendly Landscape. Living heritage and specimen trees as identified in county land development regulations are also excluded from this definition.

    Sec. 404.13. - POULTRY OR LIVESTOCK ON PARCELS LESS THAN FIVE (5) ACRES

    Table 404.14.1​
    Livestock Limits​​​ ​ ​
    ​Type of Animal ​Limit ​Min Parcel Size
    ​Horses and Other Equine Animals ​1 per acre ​1 acre
    ​Cattle ​1 cow/calf unit per 1.5 acres ​1.5 acres
    ​Goats and Sheep ​10 per acre ​1 acre
    Hogs​ ​1 per acre ​1 acre
    1. Livestock on parcels less than five (5) acres.
      The keeping of livestock on less than five acres is allowed as a limited use within the A, A-RB, RE, or RE-1 districts subject to the following standards.
      1. Permitted activities. Livestock permitted in this Section shall be for personal use only, except youth projects such as 4-H/FFA activities.
      2. Prohibited activities. The commercial raising of livestock shall be prohibited on parcels less than five (5) acres.
      3. Setbacks. Structures that are used to house livestock kept for personal use shall not be located closer than fifty (50) feet to the property line.
      4. Nuisance prohibited. The keeping of all livestock on parcels less than five (5) acres shall be done in such a manner as to control noxious odors and the breeding of rodents, flies or other insects, so as not to create a nuisance of any kind.
      5. Livestock limitations. The number of livestock permitted on parcels less than five (5) acres in size shall comply with Table 404.13.1 below.
    2. Poultry on parcels less than five (5) acres.
      1. Permitted uses.
        1. The keeping of up to six (6) laying hens is allowed as accessory to any legal single-family residence for personal use, regardless of the zoning designation of the property.
        2. The keeping of chickens and other poultry and fowl is allowed on parcels one (1) acre or greater in the A, A-RB, RE, and RE-1 districts at a density of forty (40) per acre. Commercial raising of chickens and other poultry is only permitted in the A and A-RB districts.
        3. The harvesting of poultry raised onsite may occur only in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations.
      2. Prohibitions.
        1. The raising of all chickens and other poultry shall be done in such a manner as to control noxious odors and the breeding of rodents, flies or other insects, so as not to create a nuisance of any kind, including keeping feed in enclosed containers and disposing of waste regularly.
        2. Roosters are prohibited in residential zoning districts.
        3. Poultry and poultry byproducts shall not be sold on the premises, except as an accessory to commercial raising in the A and A-RB districts in accordance with federal and state regulations.
      3. Enclosures and setbacks.
        1. All chickens raised for personal use shall be housed within covered and fenced enclosures, either movable or stationary.
        2. Chickens may be permitted to roam freely within fenced areas of lots during daylight hours.
        3. Covered or fenced enclosures for housing the chickens shall be subject to the accessory setbacks established in Chapter 403 for the zoning district or in Article VII of Chapter 407 for a traditional neighborhood or TOD.
      4. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs on parcels less than five (5) acres. The keeping of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs is allowed as a limited use in the A, A-RB, RE, and RE-1 districts, and in residential districts within rural clusters, subject to the following standards.
        1. Minimum lot area shall be one-half (½) acre.
        2. The number of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs allowed on a parcel less than five (5) acres shall be one (1) pig per one-half (½) acre.
        3. Commercial raising of pot-bellied pigs shall be prohibited.
        4. The keeping of pot-bellied pigs shall be done in such a manner as to control noxious odors and the breeding of rodents, flies or other insects, so as not to create a nuisance of any kind.
        5. Structures used to house the pig(s) shall not be located closer than twenty-five (25) feet to the property line.

    Sec. 402.140. - General provisions. (b)Improvement of property prior to issuance of a building permit.

    When a building permit is required, site work, site clearing, grading, improvement of property, or construction of any type shall not be commenced prior to the issuance of the permit unless approved subsequent to a pre-application screening and building permit application with a finding by the County that there is no potential for adverse environmental impacts.

    Sec. 407.28. - Prohibited signs

    1. The following signs and sign types listed below are prohibited within the County and shall not be erected, operated, or placed on any property:
      1. Off-site signs.
      2. Animated signs.
      3. Building signs that extend more than eighteen (18) inches from the wall of the building to which the sign is attached, or above the eave line of the wall to which it is attached, except that signs mounted to architectural elements extended above the eave line may be allowed.
      4. Changeable copy signs on which the message changes more than one (1) time in a five-minute period that are legible from a public way or private property other than the site on which the sign is located.
      5. Flashing signs.
      6. Floodlights and beacon lights, except when required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
      7. Holographic display signs.
      8. Streamers, ribbons, balloons, wind signs, wind activated banners, cold air inflatables, pennants, and other fixed aerial signage, except that this prohibition shall not apply to flags conforming with Section 407.36 of this Article.
      9. Permanent pole or pylon signs, excluding driveway signs, except where the sign is supported by a pole with a pole cover that has a width greater than or equal to fifty (50) percent of the sign face.
      10. Portable signs, including, but not limited to, A-frames and trailer signs, except as provided for sidewalk signs under Subsection 407.31(a)(5).
      11. Signs located on a roof or that impair access to the roof.
      12. Signs that obstruct a clear view of pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicular traffic.
      13. Signs in, on, or over the public right-of-way, unless otherwise provided for in Section 407.39.5 of this Article.
      14. Signs affixed to utility poles, other than signs placed there by the pole owner or operator.
      15. Signs nailed, fastened, affixed to, or painted on any tree or other vegetation, or part thereof (living or dead), or rocks or other natural features.
      16. Signs that are not effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled public rights-of-way, thereby creating a potential traffic or pedestrian hazard or a nuisance to inhabitants of an adjacent neighborhood.
      17. Signs that obstruct or interfere with ventilation openings.
      18. Signs that are illuminated in a way that interferes with the effectiveness of, or obscures, an official traffic sign, device, or signal.
      19. Signs that in any way simulate emergency vehicles.
      20. Signs that simulate traffic control signs and devices, directional, information, and warning signs.
      21. Signs that obstruct any fire escape or any door or opening used as a means of ingress or egress for a building or structure.
      22. Signs on public property, unless expressly allowed by the public entity that owns the land.
      23. Signs that emit sound, vapor, smoke, odor, or gaseous matter.
      24. Signs that obstruct, conceal, hide, or otherwise obscure from view any traffic control device sign or official traffic signal.
      25. Signs on unserviceable vehicles as defined in Chapter 74​ of the Alachua County Code.
    2. Any lawfully existing permanent sign structure or sign type that is among the prohibited signs listed above shall be deemed a non-conforming sign, pursuant to Section 407.39 of this Article.
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