Commonly Asked Code Questions

The City of St. Charles has adopted various national model codes, zoning ordinances, and regulations to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. The following excerpts have been provided to address the areas for which we experience the most inquiries. For further information on Code Enforcement, call Community Development at 636-949-3222 or email us.

Interior Structure

PM-305.1 General: The interior of a structure and equipment their-in shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and in a sanitary condition. Occupants shall keep that part of the structure which they occupy or control in a clean and sanitary condition.

Opening A New Business

Exterior Structure

PM-304.1 General: The exterior of a structure shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the public health, safety or welfare.

Rubbish & Garbage

PM-307.1 Accumulation: All exterior property and premises, and the interior of every structure, shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.

Exterior Property Areas

PM-302.7 Accessory structures: All accessory structures, including detached garages, fences and walls, shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.

City Ordinance

50.02 Trash collection (residential): All garbage and rubbish, within the city, shall be collected, removed and disposed of by the city or an authorized collector.

73.30 (D) Parking regulation, trailers: It shall be unlawful for any person to encumber any public street, road, alley or highway within the city by placing or parking or causing to be placed or parked thereon, any trailer, except when loading and unloading.

73.30 (E) Parking regulation, RV's: No person shall park any recreational vehicle upon any city street except for no more than 24 consecutive hours for the purpose of loading and unloading if the owner is present.

73.32 (A) Number of vehicles permitted at R1-E zoned properties: No more than six (6) vehicles shall be allowed per family or dwelling unit. This shall include vehicles parked on the property and on the street.

90.02 Abandoned / Derelict vehicles: No person shall park, store, leave, or permit the parking, storing or leaving of any vehicle which is in violation of any provision of city Code or abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative, whether attended or not, upon any public or private property within the city.

92.25 Tall grass and weeds: It shall be unlawful for the owner of any parcel of ground located within the Corporate limits of the city to allow or maintain on any such parcel of ground any growth of weeds to a height in excess of 8 inches.

96.20 Nuisances enumerated: In addition to any other act declared to be a nuisance by this code of ordinances or any other ordinance of the city, nuisances are defined and declared to be as follows:

  • (M) The placing, depositing or throwing or causing to be placed, deposited or thrown of any rubbish, garbage, scrap, paper, handbills, confetti, shavings, dirt, hulls, shells, stalks, dead animals or any other kind of waste materials, on any sidewalk, street, parkways, road shoulders or other public places, or on any private lots or premises in the city in such manner and extent to render the same unsightly, unclean or unsafe;
  • (N) Paper, lumber, rocks, boxes, barrels, bottles, cans or other trash or debris, or other material accumulating or remaining on any premise, whether improved or unimproved, occupied or vacant, or on any open lot or alley within the city, in such a manner as to create a condition which provides shelter, food or protection for rodents, or a breeding place for such rodents;
  • (O) The abandonment, neglect or disregard of any premises so as to permit the premises to become unclean, with an accumulation of litter or waste thereon, or to permit the premises to become unsightly, unsanitary, or obnoxious or a blight to the vicinity, or offensive to the senses of users or the public way abutting the premises and so to continue for a period longer than 10 days;
  • (Q) Any tree on any property which, by reason of its dying, decay or other reason, is a menace to the safety of persons using any street, alley or sidewalk or persons occupying any premises or parcel of ground.

156.107 Parking/Storage of boats, RV's, and trailers on residential property:

  • (A) (1) Enclosed within a garage or accessory structure
  • (A) (2) In a rear yard, on a paved driveway, or non dust generating surface, free from grass
  • growth and weeds.
  • (A) (3) In a side yard, behind the front building line, on a paved driveway or non dust generating surface, free form grass growth and weeds.
  • (A) (5) Boats and RV's may only be parked for loading and unloading for no more than 48 consecutive hours, if the owner is present.
  • (C) Trailers parked on residential property shall not be used for storage of materials, goods or equipment.
  • (C) (5) The maximum length of any recreational vehicle/trailer/boat, shall not exceed 32 feet.