FAQs
JUNK COMPLAINTS

What is junk?
By Ordinance definition, junk shall mean any garbage, rubbish or litter, any junked or abandoned motor vehicle or parts thereof, and any personal property or other article having only nominal salvage value, which has been left unprotected from the elements. A junked or abandoned motor vehicle is a motor vehicle that does not have a license tag for the current year or is missing equipment or pieces thereof necessary for its operation. 

If there is a junk or litter problem on a lot in my neighborhood, who do I report it to?
The Department of Growth and Environmental Management, Complaint Response Person, at (850) 606-1300. 

If I complain about junk on a person's property, why doesn't the County come and get it?
The proper disposal of junk and litter on an individual's property is the responsibility of the property owner, not the County. Garbage collection service in Leon County is currently provided by WASTE MANAGEMENT. You may contact them directly for specific rules and fees for disposing of junk and litter by calling 574-3000. *Public Works Operations maintains the public roads and rights-of-way (including ditches) in Leon County. It is against the law, and considered "dumping," to place any junk or natural debris in these rights-of-way.

When I complain about junk on a person's property, why does it take so long before the junk is removed?
There are several reasons for the perceived delay in the removal of the junk:

1. Leon County relies on the owner to remove any junk on his/her property. The County will not come and get that junk, which is what some complainants feel will occur.

2. An inspection must be conducted by a Leon County Compliance Specialist to verify that the complaint is valid. This usually occurs within 48 hours after the initial complaint is made. Then, the enforcement process begins.

3. Leon County Code Enforcement operates under Florida Statutes Chapter 162, which requires legal notice and due process of the parties allegedly in violation. Making legal contact with the alleged violators, then waiting the required amount of time for the junk to be removed could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

If somebody filed a complaint against me because of a neighborhood dispute, do I still have to clean up my property?
Leon County Code Enforcement deals ONLY in land use issues. Every complaint that is made by a citizen MUST be investigated by a Compliance Specialist, regardless of the reason for registering the complaint. If the Compliance Specialist finds the complaint to be valid, the enforcement process will begin. If the complaint is not a violation of the County Codes, the matter is considered, "invalid." 

If I receive a County letter about junk and litter on my property, when does the fine start running?
There are no fines initially assessed when you receive a letter that you have junk and litter on your property. Leon County's primary objective is VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. Fines for violations of the Junk and Litter Code are assessed by the Code Enforcement Board (CEB). Once the CEB finds that there is, in fact, a violation, and the violator does not comply within the time limit that the CEB has ordered, there will be a fine placed on the property. If the alleged violator stays in touch with staff, explains any extenuating circumstances, and works steadily (even if slowly) towards compliance, then the matter is not normally referred to the CEB. 

If I want to know who complained about me, can I find out?
Under the Public Records Law of Florida, all information given to staff is a matter of public record, and it must be disclosed if the information is requested. If a citizen wants to find out who made a complaint, he/she should come to our office (435 N. Macomb Street, 2nd Floor) and make a "public records request." Most of the complaints that are received are from anonymous sources and they do not reflect the identity of the complainant. 

Is the Junk Code (Chapter 14 Section 14-31) enforced the same way in Woodville, as in Killearn Lakes?
Yes, the Junk Code (Chapter 14 Section 14-31) is enforced uniformly throughout all of the unincorporated portion of Leon County, no matter where the site is located. 

When is a vehicle likely to be classified as junk?
If the following conditions exist:

1. If it does not have a tag for the current year,

2. If any part, equipment, or piece necessary for its operation is and remains removed for a period of fifteen (15) days,

3. If for any other reason the vehicle appears, after reasonable inquiry and investigation to be junked or abandoned.

However, a determination is only made after an investigation by the County. For additional information please call the Leon County Department of Growth and Environmental Management at 606-1300. 

How many vehicles can be on a person's property?
As long as the vehicles are operable (to be operable, the vehicles must have full tires, a charged battery, a motor that will crank, and must be able to move forwards and backwards), there is no limit to how many can remain on the property. (This does not include over-size vehicles, such as semi-trucks, etc.) 

How do I prevent other people from dumping on my property?
There is no code requirement which addresses this issue. However, in order to prevent easy access to vacant property for illegal dumping, some people have blocked off road access or placed barricades around the property with no trespassing/no dumping signs. 

When the Landfill will not take certain trash or junk, where can I take it?
Contact Public Works/Landfill, at 606-1500 to determine which landfill can take your trash. If none can, then some private industries may collect the scrap metal materials. 

If I cannot afford to remove my junk vehicles, who can I call to get this done?
Some private junk yards or salvage yards will remove your vehicle if proper ownership is provided.