By Lacey Lively, Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator
If you’re a student either returning to College Station or moving here for the first time, learning about basic city ordinances is probably not high on your to-do list. But if you ignore our local laws, you might find yourself paying some costly citations out of your already tight budget.
As one of America’s top college towns, we want to help you avoid that so you can concentrate on more important things – like Aggie football!
These simple tips can help you thrive in College Station:
1. Meet your neighbors.
If you haven’t already, make time to meet your neighbors and exchange contact information in case of emergencies or other problems. If an issue arises, would you rather they call you or the police?
2. Keep the noise down.
No matter where you live, be mindful of noise coming from your home, including barking dogs and intense music. It’s unlawful for anyone to willfully make or allow continued loud noise, especially from 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
As a general rule, if you can hear the noise at the end of your property line, then it’s too loud and everyone on your lease risks receiving a citation. If you are bothered by noise and can’t resolve the issue on your own, complaints can be reported to the College Station Police Department at 979.764.3600.
3. Avoid code violations.
If you live off campus in a duplex, fourplex or house, here are other city ordinances you should know:
- Trash: After your trash has been collected, you have 12 hours to remove your container from the street. Trash should be securely stored in the provided container until your scheduled pickup day, and the lid should be secured so litter doesn’t spread. If you know you’re going have a lot of trash, call the Sanitation Department at 979.764.3690 and they can provide an additional pick up or bin.
- Parking: Don’t park vehicles or motorcycles on the grass, and be sure not to block driveways, mailboxes or roadways.
- Yards: Weeds and grass shouldn’t exceed 12 inches in height.
- Open Storage: Don’t store anything in your yard or patio that’s not intended for outdoor use. Firewood can be stored on the side or in the backyard.
- Fliers/Signs: Nothing should be placed on utility poles, street signs or in the public right-of-way.
- Residential Occupancy: No more than four unrelated people can share a single-family residence. A violation of this ordinance could result in a fine.
For more details on city codes, visit cstx.gov/codeenforcement or call 979.764.6363.
4. Tag your pet.
All dogs, cats and ferrets are required to be licensed, tagged and vaccinated in Brazos County. Even if your pet is licensed elsewhere, you’ll still need to tag them here. The tag provides 24-hour support for lost pets, up to $500 in trauma support, rides for lost or injured pets, rabies vaccine reminders, reduced impoundment fees and funds to support our local shelter.
Brazos County pet license tags are $15 and can be purchased through local veterinarians or the Aggieland Humane Society. Learn more at cstx.gov/animalcontrol or call 979.775.5755.
5. Stay informed.
Keep up with city events, programs, emergencies, traffic, construction, utility notices and etc., by following us on Twitter or Facebook.
Gig ’em, and have a great year!
