The college students are back in town, bringing plenty of activity along with them. But, the extra commotion isn't always appreciated by their neighbors.
That's why each Fall the University of Florida partners with the Gainesville Police Department and the Code Enforcement Division to make off-campus students aware of their responsibilities as residents.
According to Nora Kilroy, Director of Off-Campus life at UF, once students know the rules, they want to do everything they can to be good neighbors. She said, "As soon as they become more aware of the policies and become more aware of the city codes and aware that they've impacted their neighborhood, they're willing to make some changes to become a better neighbor."
However, each year there's an influx of new students who don't know the rules. Code Enforcement Supervisor, David Watkins said, "We're trying to make contact, we're trying to get as much information out there as possible...we give them that benefit of the doubt that they didn't know."
Although there is a grace period at the beginning of the school year, because there are resources, like the city website and the "Gator Guide," readily available, eventually ignorance is no excuse.
Corporal Tscharna Senn said, "People, they really, really need to know our ordinances and they need to know state statutes because they don't realize that when they host a party that they can be held responsible for things that people do at their party."
Those in charge of enforcing the rules agree that awareness and communication are key to making sure that college students and their neighbors get along.
For more information on city codes and ordinances, go to http://www.cityofgainesville.org.