On the West coast of Florida there is a City where the town fathers are so into the image of the town, that the streets are lined with the Rolls Royce of Palm trees, and where an International Property Maintenance Code exists and might now allow neighbors to snitch on their neighbors if they do not have any screens on their windows, unflecked paint on their siding or weeds growing in their yard.

The city is Venice Florida where some 128 Medjool Date Palm Trees line the center isles of roads leading into the center of town at the cost of $600,000, or $4,500 a tree.

The Maintenance Code was created in 1998 and is updated every few years.  We understand that the city has been divided into zones and two code enforcement officials will be required to inspect every property.

Many standards are already part of the city code.  One rule says, “the interior and exterior of every structure shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish.”  Another calls for “oxidation stains” to be removed from exterior surfaces and the installation of insect screens of “not less than 16 mesh per inch.”

Now it’s not bad enough that your neighbors can report you for violations, but building officials have broad authority under the code to inspect people’s home and, if they are refused, to “pursue recourse as provided by law.”

The irony of this “Big Brother” Code upgrade is that it comes at time when an activist from Sarasota  has filed suit against the Mayor several Council Members and several board members for communicating outside public meetings, deleting e-mails that are considered public documents, all alleged violations of the State’s Sunshine law.

Sounds like “Big Brother” is alive and well in Venice.