Complaints
Filing a Complaint
Important: Before reporting a potential code violation, please read all the information on this page.
Each year the Planning Department responds to numerous complaints. There is no fee to file a complaint. We accept anonymous complaints, but please provide the correct information regarding the potential violation. Please note that if the information is incorrect or insufficient, the investigation may be hampered and we will be unable to contact you.
If you think you know of a potential violation, you may report it as outlined in the following:.
- In Person: Visit the Planning Department located on the second floor of 111 E 2nd Street, where you can submit your report directly to Josh Cotten, Code Enforcement Officer.
- By Phone/Email: Call or email Josh Cotten, Code Enforcement Officer, at 919-208-1302 or at Jcotten@townofclaytonnc.org. Please provide the exact address of the property, and specific information about the potential violation.
- By Regular Mail: Mail the violation information to the Planning Department's Code Enforcement Division.
Additional Options to Filing Complaints
In addition to filing a complaint with the Planning Department's Code Enforcement Division, there are a number of other options available to you:
- Make contact with the responsible person: Describe your perception of the problem and discuss how the problem affects you, including possible solutions.
- Attend neighborhood organization meetings and get involved with solving the problem. If you do not know if your neighborhood is represented by an organization, please call the Planning Department at 919-553-5002.
- Contact other Town agencies: Any complaints not directly related to Unified Development Code can be reported to other Town/County agencies with services and programs to maintain the quality of living, working, and operating businesses in the Town of Clayton.
How We Respond to Complaints
When a complaint is received it will be logged and assigned to an Enforcement Officer. The assigned officer investigates each complaint in order of priority to determine if a Unified Development Code violation exists. The Department's highest priority for investigation and resolution of reported violations are health and safety-related. If evidence exists that a violation of the Unified Development Code may have occurred, the Enforcement Officer sends a notice to the responsible party (usually the property owner or leaseholder).
High service demands can routinely cause cases to remain open for some time. These cases usually involve violations that do not constitute a significant impact. If necessary, the Enforcement Officer may conduct a site visit to further investigate the reported violation.
If the violation is confirmed, further written notice will be sent to the responsible parties.
If the violation notice is not corrected and the violation continues, administrative penalties may be assessed and further enforcement action will be taken.
Checking Complaint Status
Please allow up to 10 business days from submittal of the complaint to be contacted by the Planning Department. If you have not been contacted after 10 business days, please follow-up with the Department by emailing planning@townofclaytonnc.org or calling (919) 552-5002.