Title
Annual Neighborhood Services Code Enforcement Policy Review
Description
Request City Council approval of the Neighborhood Services Department's Code Enforcement Policy as revised.
Report
Summary
The Neighborhood Services Department's (NSD) Code Enforcement Policy (Attachment A) provides guidelines for enforcement of the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance, and portions of other city codes/ordinances enforced by NSD. The effective date of the City Council adopted policy is June 29, 2006, which includes the stated intent that the policy be reviewed annually by the City Council (Section VI). The information in this report is submitted to provide the City Council with the opportunity to perform an annual review, provide input regarding staff recommendations, and seek feedback on potential sections to consider for evaluation in the 2023 annual review.
Sections I through III of the Code Enforcement Policy establish the purpose of the standard code enforcement and the notification and enforcement options available to inspection staff, define recidivist persons/properties and the possible consequences for repeat offenders, and describe the inspection and enforcement protocols for resident complaints, with exceptions for proactive code enforcement in the immediate area of a complaint and in strategic initiative areas. Section IV Hardship Assistance includes information encouraging the use of hardship assistance programs in low- and moderate-income households where funding is available, and Section V Interdepartmental/Interagency Cooperation provides guidance for NSD to work cooperatively with other departments and agencies to resolve complex and hazard cases.
In recent months, Section II.C. Recidivist Persons/Properties, Notification Policy, has been the subject of multiple inquiries to NSD regarding the meaning of the term 'legal fast track' used in the section relating to enforcement cases with a recidivist designation. Specifically, residents have expressed an expectation that this term means that a case will move more quickly through the code enforcement process and related frustrations regarding extended court case resolutions. In practice, the term refers to bypassing a standard written notification (Notice of Ordinance Violation) and proceeding to a civil citation, criminal summons, or contractual abatement action, all of which have significantly extended timelines over standard notification with voluntary compliance in most cases. It is the intent of NSD to assist residents in better understanding the notification policy by amending Section II.C. Notification Policy as drafted in Attachment B. The attachment also includes updates to department contact information, and NSD's mission statement.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Community and Cultural Investment Subcommittee approved this item by a 4-0 vote at the June 1, 2022, meeting.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Neighborhood Services Department.