Safety Unit Choose a topic: Contacts General Information General Information Regarding Environmental Court Inspector and Staff Information Location and Driving Directions and Map Office Business Hours General Information The Safety Unit is responsible for handling complaints about possible violations of numerous City Ordinances such as litter, trash and debris, junk vehicles, high weeds and grass, and substandard and deteriorating structures. If there is a violation found a Notice of Violation or Stop Work Order is issued and if after the allotted time the violation has not been corrected a citation will be issued. A Municipal Offense Ticket may be issued immediately in the event of a life threatening violation. The citation must be paid and the violation corrected or appealed before the Mobile Environmental Court. Mobile’s Environmental Court was established in February 1992 to enforce these laws and City Ordinances. Ordinances Enforced By the Urban Development Department Safety Unit Litter City of Mobile Property Maintenance Code 2000 Private Premises Parking Weed Lien Zoning State Legislature - Unsafe Building General Information Regarding Environmental Court The objective of the environmental court is to educate Mobilians, to emphasize compliance of all environmental laws and ordinances, to instill community pride in the physical appearance of our city and enhance the quality of life that we all share. The first session of Mobile’s Environmental Court was held in February 1992. The court was designed to enforce laws and ordinances relating to the physical appearance of our city and the health and safety of the public. A relatively unique concept nationwide, Mobile’s Environmental Court handles cases involving unsafe buildings, zoning violations, litter and unlawful dumping, landscape and tree control, fire and health code violations. Mobile’s court was formed as an outgrowth of the 1988 “Goals for Mobile” program sponsored by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. The “Improving the Physical Appearance of the Area” committee became known as M. E. A. N. or Mobile Environmental Action Network. The group was made up of city and county employees and citizens who were interested in ways to enforce existing ordinances and to enact new ones to improve our environment and to keep Mobile beautiful. Mobile’s court meets twice a week and has grown from twelve docket cases per week to more than 385 cases per month. The Environmental Court is supported by City prosecutors, Urban Development and other specially trained city employees. Once a complaint is received, they are responsible for investigations and presentations of cases before the court. Judges for the Environmental Court can hand down fines from $1 to $500 for violations of ordinances governing everything from littering to junk cars and rubbish to fire code violations. The most persistent offenders who do not comply can even find themselves behind bars or doing community service. To date 50% comply before a warrant is issued and 80% comply after a court appearance. Because the objective of the court is compliance, it is not easy to find yourself before the Environmental Court Judge. Here’s how it works....... A compliant is received in the City of Mobile Action Center (251-208-7999). The proper department is notified and investigation is conducted. If a violation is determined, a Notice of Violation is issued. If the violation has not been corrected within the time allotted, a Municipal Offense Ticket is issued which requires the individual to appear in court. Then it’s up to you and the judge! Office Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Inspector hours for telephone contact purposes: 7:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (back to top) Inspector Information Cindy Aspinwall Municipal Enforcement Officer Rico Venturini Municipal Enforcement Officer Gerald McCants Municipal Enforcement Officer Rhonda Davis Municipal Enforcement Officer Shawanna Williams Municipal Enforcement Officer Location Government Plaza Building 205 Government Street 3rd Floor, South Tower Mobile, AL 36644 (back to top) Driving Directions and Map Go south on I-65 South Merge onto I-10 East Continue East take exit number 26B, Water Street Turn left onto US-90/US-98 Government Street Government Plaza is on the Southeast corner of Government Street and Joachim Street. (click for map) (back to top) Contacts Contact Information Inspectors Phone Number E-mail Cindy Aspinwall (251) 208-7423 aspinwall@cityofmobile.org Rico Venturini (251) 208-7423 venturinia@cityofmobile.org Fax     Please report any possible violations to the City Action Center at (251) 208-7999. (back to top) Office Business Hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Staff hours for telephone contact purposes: 7:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Inspector hours for telephone contact purposes 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (back to top)