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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-11-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - CODE ENFORCEMENT CITATION (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approvalb�[f/,�J/^__ Item to be presented CONSENT CALENDAR Lynn M. Harris 42 DATE: November 12, 1991 SUBJECT: Code Enforcement Citation Authority Resolution Number: 91-178 DEPARTMENT: Community Development BACKGROUND In examining ways to provide for more effective enforcement of the City's Municipal Code, staff is requesting the City Council to direct the. Code Enforcement Officers of the Community Development -Department to develop and implement its citation power. The City's. Code Enforcement Section has been in service for three years. During this time, a large number of. code violations have been handled. Almost all of our enforcement cases are resolved without intervention by theDistrict Attorney's office. In rare cases, when an office conference with the District Attorney's- Office is needed, the code violator is persuaded towards compliance. Staff spends an inordinate amount of time on these cases, conducting field meetings, office conferences, letters and phone contacts. - In addition, when the City receives complaints regarding the distribution of handbills and curb painting, Code Enforcement responds immediately. Sometimes the individuals violating the City codes are met by the enforcement staff in the field. When they are, they can give little more than a verbal warning and get a promise from the violator to discontinue the illegal activity. Because only a warning is issued, these individuals often return to committing the same violation because there is little incentive for them to.comply with the City's regulations. Citation power, when used with discretion, reduces the amount of time staff uses in getting the code violator to comply. In addition, by imposing a fee on code violators, revenues are generated to reduce. the financial burden caused by recalcitrant offenders to the City and the incidence of recidivism is reduced. Finally, the procedure. is effective. It gets the offender's attention quickly. It is for this reason, to provide for more effective and efficient service to the public, that we are requesting the City. Council to direct the Code Enforcement staff to develop and implement its citation authority. Adopt Resolution No. 91-178. Adopted: Attachment: Ayy 1 aa tS7 Resolution No. 91-178 Agcn�:i.! Item: RESOLUTION NO. 91-178 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, DIRECTING CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE CITATIONS AND NOTICES TO APPEAR FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE PURSUANT TO CITY ORDINANCE 87-2 SECTION 1.08.050 IN ACCORDANCE WITH PENAL CODES 836.5 AND 853.6 et seq. THE CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1 A. Complaints have been made by residents to the City regarding violations of City Municipal Codes and current enforcement efforts to provide for expeditious compliance .in some cases, has been difficult. B. Current enforcement efforts to obtain compliance from some code violations have been costly and time consuming for the City. The City will be able to provide a more expedient service to the community, conserve staff time and reduce the cost of enforcement to the City by issuing citations. C. By imposing fines, the time frame in obtaining code compliance will be reduced, revenues will be generated to reduce the financial burden caused by recalcitrant offenders to the City and the incidence of recidivism will be reduced. D. Dependence by the code enforcement staff on the Sheriff for citation of various offenses, will be reduced, allowing the Sheriff opportunity to utilize their resources for more urgent matters. SECTION 2. Based on this information, the City Council finds that the direction to the code enforcement officers of the 'Community Development Department to issue citations and notices to appear for code violations is consistent with the City policy to provide for more effective enforcement procedures and service to the community. SECTION 3. Based upon the foregoing, the City Council does hereby direct code enforcement officers of the Community Development Department to utilize its citation authority as a means to obtain compliance from code violators. SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of 1991. ATTEST: Donna M. Grindey, City Clerk Carl Boyer, Mayor STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES) ss CITY OF SANTA CLARITA) I, Donna M. Grindey, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by .the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular meeting thereof, held on the day of , 1991 by the following vote of Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Donna M. Grindey, City Clerk