“No worries, just here to check your sump pump.”
Make no mistake, this survey isn’t just about checking people’s sump pumps;
Sioux Falls city employees will go door-to-door during the next two months to inspect sump pumps and survey residents.
The effort, which starts today, comes a month after improper sump pump setups were blamed for adding to flooding woes when record rain swamped some neighborhoods.
This is an attempt by city to see what other code violations you may have. And even though they may not fine you for using a sump pump incorrectly, they may find something else and return on a different day. If Big Brother shows up, politely tell them, “Thanks, but no thanks.” What you do on your own property is your business, not theirs. It’s one thing to be neighborly, it’s an entire different thing have city employees snoop through your house and property.
I think the phrase, “Come back with a warrant” will suffice. Too bad PG’s broken record tour is retired.. this is right up his sad alley.
My Man Mike can stay at his mansion and out of my bedroom.
Sounds like they won’t be forcing anyone to allow them access, but if people have their sump pumps installed illegally then the city should be able to at least require they are installed properly.
When I was shopping for a new house a while back, I cannot begin to tell you how many people had their sump pumps piped directly into the sanitary sewer system. The worst case of abuse I saw even had a tag on it proclaiming that it was proudly installed by Frisbee. Amazing… people do something blatantly illegal and they attach their name to it.
DL: What you do on your own property is your business, not theirs.
Except when you are … you know … breaking the law and stuff. I don’t have a problem with someone smoking a little MJ or having a local poker game, but when a crime directly impacts others in a negative way (such as is the case when sump pumps overload the sewer system and directly lead to raw sewage being forced into resident’s homes) then it somewhat does become other people’s business.
Incidentally, I’d say the same thing about someone who has tapped in to the water line entering their house before the meter in order to water their lawn for free (you would be shocked to learn how many people try this type of thing). The property may be private, but when it is connected to city services there is a gray area to be sure.
i wonder how many sidewalk crack/tree branch violations this will net as well.
Scott is right. The only reason I am suspicious because the city pulled the same thing with the NICE program. While picking up garbage they would snoop around people’s places and hand out violations (like improper fence installation, sidewalk cracks etc.)
Warrant may be a good course – but the “plain view” doctrine and “officer safety” loopholes can go a long way to work-around any specifics in the warrant.