Due to the variety of complaints, City staff must often research applicable codes before starting enforcement procedures. Nearly three-fourths of all violations occur in residential districts. The remaining complaints are dealt with according to the regulations of the specific commercial or industrial zoning district. Many complaints are resolved through an initial visit, issuance of Orders for Corrections and a follow-up visit to ensure compliance. Other complaints require lengthy investigations, repeat visits and staff research.
Some property owners comply with orders at first but soon let conditions fall back into violation.
Because repeat violations consume a large amount of staff time, the City of Bloomington is developing other means for achieving compliance, including civil penalties or fines for continued code violation. Abandoned vehicles are unlicensed or inoperable, or they are motor vehicles to which the last registered owner has relinquished control. Environmental Services staff notify vehicle owners that they must correct the problem or remove the vehicles when they are stored on private property. Parking complaints usually report improperly parked vehicles or an excessive number of parked vehicles. On a single-family residential property, the parked vehicles must not exceed one more than the number of licensed drivers in the household.