Environmental Services
Barking Dog/Noisy Animal Procedure
In accordance to Ordinance 6.04.040(d)(6), it is unlawful to: “Keep or harbor any animal which, by loud, frequent or habitual barking, howling, yelping or other noise or action, unreasonably disturbs any person or neighborhood within the corporate limits of the city. To effect legal relief, persons so affected directly may sign a complaint at the Department of Environmental Services”.
To comply with the ordinance, the following information is needed to file a complaint at the Department of Environmental Services:
Ø Name, date of birth, and address of the offending person who owns or harbors the dog/animal
Ø Date and time when the offense (or incident) occurred
Ø Location of the incident
If the citizen does not have the above information, they should call 911 and request a police officer to come to their address to obtain the offender’s information and to file an incident report.
If the citizen has the above information, they should call the Police Department Case Desk at 268-4221 to file a police incident report. The citizen should then allow three to five days for the incident to be entered into the computer system. After that time, the report should be available from the Police Department Central Records Bureau (268-4186).
To file the complaint with the Department of Environmental Services:
Ø Obtain a copy of the police incident case report by contacting the Police Record’s Bureau at 268-4186.
Ø Come to the Department of Environmental Services at 1900 E. 9th to file the complaint.
Ø Furnish a sworn affidavit of the incident. Environmental Services has notaries available for this purpose.
Ø Sign a Universal Complaint Citation form (UCC) and have it notarized. Environmental Services has notaries available for this purpose.
Ø Furnish a list of witnesses to be subpoenaed and their current valid addresses. The list will always include the complainant and their current address, as well as any other witnesses, including the responding PD officers who made the incident report if applicable.
After the above steps, the complaint will be filed with the Municipal Court and entered as an unserved complaint, to be served by the Wichita Police Department Warrant Office and a court date will be assigned. Be advised that the citizen will be required to attend court on the dates subpoenaed. Failure to attend their court date(s) will result in dismissal of the complaint filed, and may result in the complaining citizen being charged with contempt of court.
Portable Basketball Goal Complaint Procedure
1. Community member makes their complaint known to a City employee.
2. City employee ensures that an exact address of the probable owner is obtained from the complainant.
3. City employee calls or emails the Engineering Division as a point of contact with the address of the violation.
4. The Engineering Division will log the complaint in a database and will have a Sidewalk Inspector go to the location and verify the violation. If a violation is confirmed, a digital picture will be taken by the Sidewalk Inspector and be provided to the engineering division.
5. The Sidewalk Inspector will attempt to make contact with the owner of the goal and provide them a “Courtesy Notice” in the form of a flier. The flier would inform the resident that their goal was in violation of City Ord. #10.04.130 and that they have 5 days to remove it from City right-of-way. If no contact can be made with the resident, the Courtesy Notice will be placed in a plastic sack marked “Important Notice from your City Hall”, and hung on their front door. The engineering division will contact the Street Services Supervisor with Public Works Maintenance of the confirmed violation and the recheck date.
6. The Public Works Department will do a recheck after the 5th day to verify compliance. If the goal is removed from City right-of-way, Public Works personnel will notify their contact that the resident is in compliance, and she will list the complaint as closed in the database. If the goal has not been removed from City right-of-way, Public Works crews will move it and it’s accompanying balance weights (if any) off of City right-of-way and onto private property. They will again provide the goal owner with the Courtesy Notice.
7. If an additional complaint is received that the goal is back on City right-of-way, the Engineering Division will prepare and send a letter to the property address requesting they comply with City Ord. #10.04.130. Carbon copies of the letter will be sent to the respective Community Policing sergeant for that area. The letter would contain –
a. a time frame of 10 days to remove the goal from the City right-of-way.
b. an explanation or diagram as to what the City right-of-way consists of
c. the fact that the goal will be confiscated by City workers if it is left on City right-of-way
d. the fact that a $50 redemption fee would be assessed at the time the goal was released to the owner
e. a contact phone number/email address for Engineering Dept to answer questions.
8. During a 2nd recheck, if Public Works confirms non-compliance with the violation letter, he will notify the Community Policing supervisor and arrange a time that the goal will be confiscated. A police officer will be present while Public Works crews remove the goal for security purposes. If no police action is taken, no police incident report will be made.
9. Public Works crews will take the goal to their City Yard for storage of at least 30 days. They will place it with the auction cars in the fenced area at CMF. They will also mark the goal with the address and date it was confiscated. Public Works will notify their contact of their actions for documentation in the database.
10. If an owner calls to claim their confiscated goal, they will be made aware of the $50 redemption fee and be directed to a point of contact.
11. After a period of 30 days, if no owner has called to reclaim their goal, it will be subject to being auctioned off as abandoned property. If the goal cannot be auctioned off, it can be disposed of by however the Director of Public Works sees fit.
Motorized Scooters
As warm weather approaches, we will see a significant increase in juveniles
riding motorized scooters and skateboards on public streets. This a very
dangerous activity since the majority of operators do not use safety equipment
and the machines are not equipped with the correct safety lighting.
There has been some confusion as to whether or not it is legal to operate
motorized scooters and skateboards on public property. Motorized scooters and
skateboards fall within the City and State definition of a motor vehicle. As per
State Statute 8-142, 8-235 and City Ordinance 11.04.170 which state: "Motor
vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled “
These scooters, skateboards, go-carts and go-peds fall within the definition of a
motor vehicle and therefore require safety equipment, lights, blinkers, appropriate
braking systems and reflectors, as well as being tagged and registered if
operated on a public street or public right-of-way. The driver must also have in
their possession a valid driver’s license.
Every Spring and Summer, the Police Department receives numerous
neighborhood complaints regarding these vehicles. Appropriate rules and
regulations can be enforced since motorized scooters and skateboards are
considered motor vehicles. Therefore, if a person age 14 or older is stopped for
this violation, he or she can be issued a citation. If a person is under the age of
14, the parent or guardian is responsible and could be issued a citation for
allowing an unlicensed person to operate a vehicle.
These vehicles can be operated on private property with the owner’s permission.
We see careless and reckless behavior in the operation of these vehicles on both
public and private property. These vehicles are much less visible than a
motorcycle on a street and could result in very serious injuries if involved in a
crash.Parents need to realize that when they purchase any motorized vehicle, there are requirements and liability associated with their use. They need to be cognizant
of the dangers because they are not toys.If you have any questions regarding the issues surrounding operation of these vehicles, please fee free to contact your nearest substation.