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Environmental Compliance Section
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Who to Contact for Neighborhood Nuisance Issues |
Effective January 1, 2008, some environmental maintenance responsibilities such as violations for tall grass and weeds, trash and junk, inoperable vehicles transitioned to the Office of Central Inspection (OCI). This allows six (6) Environmental Maintenance Inspectors and thirteen (13) Neighborhood Inspectors to strategically combine work responsibilities; increasing citywide coverage for inspection of neighborhoods.
For these kinds of neighborhood issues, as well as sub-standard housing and residential zoning problems, please call 268-4481.
For light, odor, or noise complaints as well as other Environmental Services Department responsibilities (i.e. Water Quality, Air Quality etc.), contact Environmental Services at 268-8351.
The Environmental Compliance Section provides a number of services to Wichita and to unincorporated Sedgwick County. This section is divided into programs designed to provide the following kinds of services:
The Environmental Compliance program exists to insure:
- City facilities are operated in accordance with local, state, and federal Environmental Regulations, Permits, and Plans;
- Operations and construction activities pose minimal impact to community health and the environment; and
- Assures compliance with the City's NPDES Stormwater Permit
- Natural resources are protected and preserved
- And to coordinate the Environmental Compliance Regulation Process.
We work closely with the Office of Central Inspection (OCI) Neighborhood Inspectors to maintain a clean environment for all citizens in our community.
While the OCI Neighborhood Inspectors (268-4481) focus on residential blight, the ES Environmental Nuisance Inspector (268-8351) centers on commercial and publicly-owned facilities' blight. Our program also inspects City dwellings with multiple animals; and responds to lighting and noise complaints.
 Guide to Submitting Service Requests
The Environmental Maintenance section investigates and resolves premise condition complaints involving neighborhood blight, safety, and public health.
Examples of Blighting Factors include things like tall grass and weeds over 12 inches, dead trees, miscellaneous debris and scattered trash, inoperable or abandoned vehicles, parking in yards, graffiti, and standing water (not pools).
The following Blight Issues are Safety Issues as well:
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Open Buildings; which are an attractive nuisance to kids and provide hiding areas for drug and gang activity;
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Open Excavations, like basements that are not properly barricaded to prevent falls,
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Most Bulky Waste and Salvage Material may pose safety risks to neighborhood children, who might be attracted to play around it.
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How to be a Community Partner |
 We encourage public collaboration and participation in maintaining the Visual Vitality of the City of Wichita. As you can see, the Environmental Compliance section provides services designed to help maintain our neighborhoods in clean, safe, and, most importantly, healthy condition; so that Quality of Life can be enjoyed to its utmost.
You can help make Wichita a better place to Live, Learn, Work, and Play; by following these steps to resolve code enforcement violations in our community:
- File a complaint. We have expanded our service so that you may now call 211 anytime 24/7 including holidays and weekends. Please provide specific and detailed information, including exact location or address, and a complete description of the violation. All information provided is kept confidential.
- Contact the Environmental Services office at 268-8351. Explain the size and scope of the problem to our Customer Service Representative. The Environmental Nuisance Inspector will begin the investigative process and work towards resolving the complaint.
- Attend your Neighborhood Association meetings and get involved in the process to resolve the problem.
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Process of Regulation for Compliance |
Enforcement is the final step in bringing property into compliance, if voluntary compliance is not possible. The type of enforcement depends upon the location and accessibility of the violations on the property.
If the violations on the property are enclosed within a fence or are located on a porch or under anything constructed upon the property:
- The case will be prepared for Municipal Court.
- The inspector summarizes the case and presents it to his supervisor for final approval.
- The inspector then writes a Notice to Appear to the defendant.
- Once in court, the defendant, if found guilty, can be fined as much as $500 and up to 6 months in jail for each offense.
The judge generally sets a Review or Sentencing date several weeks after the first appearance, at which time, if the violations have corrected, he will reduce the fine and suspend the jail time. This usually motivates the defendant to clean up the property.
If the violations on the property are accessible:
- The case will be prepared for Nuisance Abatement.
- The inspector summarizes the case and presents it to his supervisor for final approval.
- The case is then logged in and a Work Order is sent to a private contractor who cleans the property.
- The City then pays the contractor and charges the cost of the cleanup to the property owner.
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