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WhiletheCitydoesnothaveaformallyadoptedcompliancepolicy,staffhasfollowedaprocess <br />whenworkingwithcomplaintsandviolations.Uponreceivingacomplaint,theCityperformsan <br />inspectionand,iftheviolationisverified,aletterissenttotheaddressoftheviolation.Incases <br />wheretheRamseyCountypropertydatabaseincludesanalternativeaddressfortheproperty <br />owner,aletterissenttothepropertyaddressandtotheowneratthealternativeaddress.The <br />processmayinvolvetwoadditionalnoticeswithtento14daysbetweeneachnoticeifthe <br />violationisnotresolved.Ifthepropertyownerdoesnotrespondand/ortheviolationdoesnot <br />showanyprogresstowardbeingresolved,acitationmaybeissued.Thistypeofprocessisvery <br />similartoothercities. <br />Violationstendtofallintotwocategories.Thefirstgroupincludesthepeoplethatareoftennot <br />awareoftheregulations,andtheyusuallyworktoquicklyresolvetheviolation.Thisisthebulk <br />ofviolationsandsecondnotificationsarenotallthatcommon. <br />Thesecondgrouptendstobethepeoplethatignorethenotificationsand/orareunconcerned <br />withcityordinancesforonereasonoranother.Thiscategoryismuchsmallerandobtaining <br />compliancetakesmuchlongerorleadstoacitation.Whenacitationisissued,somewillwork <br />toresolvetheviolationtoavoidattendingcourtbutotherswillfollowthecourtprocessto <br />completion.Thesearetheviolationsthatareparticularlyconcerningtoresidentsbecauseitcan <br />appearasthoughtheCityhasnotrespondedsincetheviolationmaycontinueformanymonths <br />whileitiscourt. <br />Citationsareatooloflastresort.Whenacitationisissued,itisnotuncommonfortheviolation <br />tocontinueforanothersixto12monthsdependingonhowlongittakesthedistrictcourtto <br />reviewthecase.Additionally,theCityincurslegalcostsassociatedwithprocessingthecitation. <br />Duetothetimelineandcostsofacitation,staffhasgonetogreatlengthstoworkwithproperty <br />ownerstoachievecompliance.Whenthecitationisreviewedbythecourt,itisnotuncommon <br />forthecourttoissueasmallfineandordertheviolationtoberesolvedwithinacertaintime <br />period.Additionalpenaltiesmaybestayedprovidedthereisnotareoccurrenceoftheviolation. <br />WhilethereisnothinginherentlywrongwiththeeXIstmgprocess,movingtowardamore <br />formalizedandcityadoptedprocesswillbehelpfultobothstaffandresidents.Theproposed <br />policyismeanttobemorestreamlined,provideadditionaldetail,andbecompatibletothe <br />timelinesintherecentlyupdatednuisanceordinance. <br />Adoptingapolicydoesnotlockthecityintooneprocessthatmustbeappliedtoallsituationsno <br />matterthecircumstances.Someflexibilitywillstillbeneeded.However,aCouncilsupported <br />CityofArdenHills <br />CityCouncilMeetingforApril2009 <br />13, <br />CC <br /> <br />