Ortonville- Many residents may be unaware they are illegally storing cars, boats, campers, and recreational vehicles in their lots, but village manager Paul Zelenak says there are close to 50 potential storage violations within the village.
The proper place to store these items in a residential district is in the rear yard, which is defined as ‘an open space extending the full width of the lot, the depth of which is the minimum horizontal distance between the rear lot line and the nearest point of the main building.?
The current problem with violations occurs with various vehicular items being stored in front or side yards.
Zelenak and planning department officials are requesting that citizens violating the storage ordinance remove items or relocate them to the rear of their property. The ordinance is in place to protect homeowner’s interests, Zelenak said, and improper storage becomes an issue when the items are stored for long periods of time in an improper place.
‘You don’t want people storing their RV’s or campers right in view of your kitchen window,? he said. ‘People invest a lot of money in their houses and they don’t want to see people storing boats, etc. in the wrong location on their property. They should be stored in the backyard so it’s not an eyesore.?
Zelenak has received calls from residents concerned about their neighbors? vehicles, boats, campers and snowmobiles parked improperly and the potential effect of these violations on property values. Real estate agents have also called.
The ordinance has been in effect for more than 20 years, but village officials are seeing more and more violations.
Zelenak said reminding people of the ordinance is the first phase in stepping up the ordinance. Residents who fail to comply can be fined for improper storage. All vehicles must also have proper plates.
For more information on the storage ordinance, call (248) 627-4976.