City of Springfield, MA Article V Enforcement and Penalties

[Adopted 9-15-1987 (Title 1, Ch. 1.16, §§ 1.16.000 and 1.16.010, of the 1986 Code)]

§ 1-24 Criminal complaint and penalty.

[Amended FCB 2-3-2009]

Any person violating any chapter or section of the revised ordinances may be penalized by indictment or on complaint brought in the District Court. Except as may otherwise be provided by law or a specific penalty enumerated in the ordinance, the maximum penalty for each violation, or offense, brought in such manner shall be $300.

§ 1-25 Noncriminal disposition and penalties.

[Amended 11-27-1987; 3-17-1988; 5-23-1991; 8-7-1991; 10-6-1992; 4-21-1988; 7-21-1995; 6-20-2006; FCB 2-3-2009; 7-22-2010; 11-22-2011; 1-15-2014; 10-5-2020; 11-15-2021]

Any person who violates any of the provisions of the revised ordinances which are enumerated in this section may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition as provided in MGL c. 40, § 21D. The noncriminal method of disposition may also be used for violations of any rule or regulation of any municipal officer, board or department which is subject to specific penalty. Without intending to limit the generality of the foregoing, it is the intention of this provision that the following ordinances are to be included within the scope of this section, that the specific penalties as listed herein shall apply in such cases and that, in addition to police officers, who shall in all cases be considered enforcing persons for the purpose of this provision, the municipal personnel listed for each section, if any, shall also be enforcing persons for such sections. Each day on which any violation exists shall be deemed to be a separate offense.

Ordinance	General Ordinances	Enforcement	Penalty
Ch. 110, Art. I	Animal control, except as specifically set forth in Chapter 110, Article I	Animal Control Officer	$50
§ 118-10	Handbills and signs	Department of Public Works, Park Department	$50
§ 140-1	State Building Code violation	Building Inspectors	$25 to $1,000
§ 140-2	State Sanitary Code violation	Housing Code Enforcement	$25 to $300
§ 140-4	State Plumbers and Gas Fitters Code violation	Building Inspectors	$25 to $300
§ 140-5	State Electrical Code violation	Building Inspectors	$25 to $300
§ 140-6	State Fire Safety Code violation	Fire Department Inspectors	$25 to $300
§ 140-7	State Lead Poisoning and Control Code violation	Housing Code Enforcement	$25 to $300
§ 143-3	Numbers on buildings	Department of Public Works, Fire Department, Code Enforcement	$50
§ 178-4I	Sale of gasoline for illegal purposes	Police Department	$100
§ 238-7	Short-term rentals	Police, Code Enforcement Inspectional Services	$300
Ch. 240	Loitering	Park Department	$50
Ch. 259	Noise	Park Department	$50
§ 275-2	Alcoholic beverages	Park Department	$50
Ch. 279, Art. I	Hawkers and peddlers	Public Health Department	$50
Ch. 279, Art. III	Charitable solicitations		$50
Ch. 279, Art. IV	Transient vendors	Public Health Department	$50
Ch. 285, Art. II	Regulating the maintenance of vacant and/or foreclosing residential properties and foreclosures of owner-occupied residential properties	Building Commissioner, Fire Department, Code Enforcement	$300
Ch. 322	Snow and ice removal	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 322-1	Removal of snow from sidewalks and hydrants	Fire Department	$25
§ 327-4	Leaves and yard waste collection	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 327-7	Rubbish collection	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 327-7	Placement of containers for ashes and rubbish	Housing Code Inspectors	$50
§ 327-13A	Litter in public places	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13B	Placement of litter in receptacles to prevent scattering	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13C	Sweeping litter into the gutter prohibited	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13D	Merchants duty to keep sidewalk free of litter	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13E	Litter thrown by persons in vehicle	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13F	Truck loads causing litter	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13G	Litter in parks and property under control of Park Department	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13H	Litter in lakes, rivers, streams and fountains	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13I	Handbills, posters and political signs	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100 per sign
§ 327-13J	Throwing or distributing handbills in public places	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13K	Placing handbills on vehicles	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13L	Prohibiting distribution of handbills where posted	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13M	Depositing handbills on uninhabited or vacant premises	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13N	Distributing handbills at inhabited private premises	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13P	Dropping litter from aircraft	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$100
§ 327-13Q	Posting notices prohibited	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13R	Litter on occupied private land	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-13S	Litter on vacant lots	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works, Park Department, Conservation Commission, Code Enforcement	$300
§ 327-14	Unregistered motor vehicle on premises	Housing Code Enforcement	$50
§ 327-15	Shopping carts	Park Department	$50
Ch. 327, Art. II	Recycling collection	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 338-30	Maintenance of tree belts	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works	$50
§ 338-52	Motor vehicle repairs on sidewalks or streets	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 338-53	Vehicles crossing curbs	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 338-57	Sales in streets	Department of Public Works, Public Health Department	$50
§ 338-58	Sales from motor vehicles	Public Health Department	$50
§ 338-62	Gates and doors	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 338-64	Playing in streets		$50
Ch. 351	Tag/Garage sales		$50
§ 368-1	Significant trees	Park Department	$50
§ 368-4	Cutting trees on public property	Park Department, Department of Public Works	$50
Ch. 379, Art. I	Abandoned motor vehicles	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 385-9	Emergency parking ban	Department of Public Works	$50
Ch. 385, Art. VII	Permit parking	Department of Public Works	$50
§ 385-42	Crossing to avoid traffic signals		$50
Ch. 401	Bulk and waste hauling services	Public Health Department, Department of Public Works	$50
	Rules and regulations of the Board of Park Commissioners: any rule or regulation	This ordinance may be enforced by the Superintendent, all deputies, all assistant deputy superintendents, the five unpaid Park Commissioners, and such park wardens as may be designated by the Mayor from time to time. The authority of the enforcing person shall extend only to the actual property under the jurisdiction of the Park Department.	$50
	Any violation of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinances of the City of Springfield, as amended, including any condition attached to a special permit or to a Board of Appeals decision	These zoning ordinances may be enforced by the Commissioner of Code Enforcement, any Assistant Commissioner of Code Enforcement, Building Inspectors, Housing Inspectors or a Zoning Administrator.	$50
	Zoning Ordinance, Section 2005(8), Conditions attached to special permit approvals	Building Inspectors	$50