New Tool for Code Enforcement: GIS TechnologyCHARLOTTE, NC - An eye in the sky could be keeping track of code violations in your neighborhood. Mecklenburg County and other cities and counties across the country are using technology like Google Earth to help enforce code laws and catch violators. “If we get a report that somebody has done some construction on their house and we go in and see no evidence of any permits being pulled then we can pull up that particular address,” said Tim Taylor, a Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement manager.
Taylor says when someone calls in a complaint, it’s up to the county to prove a code violation occurred, and sites like Google Earth and Mecklenburg County’s Polaris, can be used as evidence.
“To have the electronic access to photographs that give us date ranges… then that helps us to prove our case,” he said.
Homeowners who spoke with FOX Charlotte said they were surprised by the new tool. “I can see both sides of the story,” said Anne Washington. Washington says it feels a little like “Big Brother is Watching,” but she also thinks code violations are something municipalities need to look out for. “I think for property values and for the city and for neighborhoods it’s great to have a system that we all adhere to,” she said.
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