Frequently Asked Questions           

Q: What happens when a person who was cited for violating a City ordinance fails to comply?
A: If the person in charge of the property has been cited for a violation and has made no effort to comply, the case may be presented to the City’s Code Enforcement Board. The board can impose more fines and possibly place liens on the property until fines are paid and repairs are made or nuisances are abated.


Q: When do I need a building permit? Where can I get one?
A: In general, a permit is needed for all new construction and major exterior work, building additions, driveways, garages and other accessory structures, such as storage buildings. Before beginning a project, property owners are advised to contact our department, since some projects will have different requirements.


Q: How is my property zoned? Is it in the floodplain?
A: Each property lies in a specific zone and may or may not be in a FEMA established flood zone. The first step is to provide a staff member with the address of your property and they will be able to tell you the zoning and flood zone information.

Q: I want to buy five feet of my neighbor’s lot. Does the city have to approve this?
A: Yes, the procedure for revising any lot within the city is to file a subdivision plat. The plat must be approved by the planning commission and/or its chairman. The plat submitted must be prepared by a state licensed surveyor.


Q: My neighbor’s grass is very tall, can the City do anything about that?
A: A code enforcement officer can investigate the complaint and determine if the grass exceeds 10 inches in height. The code enforcement officer may give the person in charge of the property a 3 day warning requiring the property to be mowed. If the grass isn’t cut at the end of the 3 day period, the code enforcement officer may issue a citation and the city will have the option of having the grass cut and placing a lien on the property for expenses incurred by the City.


Q: Can my neighbor keep junked vehicles at their residence?
A: No, all vehicles inside the City must be operational and licensed, unless they are parked and awaiting repair at a licensed repair shop.


Q: How do detention basins reduce flooding?
A: Detention basins or ponds store peak storm water flows temporarily and mete out this flow over a long duration through a designed orifice or pipe, at the equivalent discharge rate for the property prior to its development.


Q: What can citizens do to improve storm water quality?
A: Keep all vehicles properly maintained and make sure they are not leaking fluids. Also, wash cars in driveways that drain into a grassy area, not a public storm sewer. Another way to help is to plant trees- trees are like giant sponges that take a lot of toxins out of the environment.

Q: What is the required depth of a concrete footing?

For the city of Mayfield and Graves county-the bottom of the footing must be 24 inches below undisturbed existing ground surface. Cannot count adding fill around finished building.