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Setting Goals and Priorities Before continuing, it is important to determine what the City Council would like to get out of an administrative fine program. The goals of the program will help dictate the type of program that might be implemented by the City. The processes for implementing administrative fines described in this memo have different strengths, weaknesses, benefits, and costs. Determining which tools will work best will depend on the goals and priorities of the City. What are the City's goals for an administrative fine program? What results are desired? Code Violation Trends To help put the administrative fine program into context, a review of code violation trends is provided. At the end of the first half of 2009, there were a total of 196 registered complaints. The majority of the complaints had to do with improper parking of vehicles. Other complaints had to do with objectionable weed and grass growth and property maintenance issues. Staff is in the process of preparing the full third quarter code enforcement report. By comparison there were a total of 167 registered complaints by this same time last year. In 2008 there were a total of 491 code enforcement cases involving 509 issues. The majority of those pending cases were unresolved parking of vehicles, recreational vehicle (RV) storage issues, and situations that require continued monitoring. In 2007 there were a total of 191 code enforcement cases involving 255 issues. In 2006, there were a total of 325 issues of which some properties had more than one issue. The majority of those code enforcement cases are for parking issues (too many vehicles and/or parking on lawns), garbage container location, drainage/erosion control, animal control, and unmaintained lawns. An estimated 80 percent of complaints are resolved upon first contact with the property. Most of the remaining 20 percent are resolved with a phone call or second notice. For those properties that require a second or third notice, it is not uncommon for some properties to fall back out of compliance. However some properties refuse to comply or stay in compliance, which can result in a civil or criminal citation. Since the City's goal is to obtain compliance, staff works diligently with properties before pursuing the civil or criminal citation process, which can take six to twelve months and legal fees to obtain compliance during which time the property remains out of compliance Existing Code Enforcement Resources The City currently has a quarter time code enforcement officer. The remaining three quarters of that position is dedicated to residential building reviews and inspections. Due to increasing code enforcement demands, the amount of time used for code enforcement in this position has been increasing, which decreases the amount of time available for required inspections. In addition to the Code Enforcement Officer, the Building Official, City Planner, Community Development Director, and other administrative staff contribute to code enforcement efforts as necessary. City of Arden Hills City Council Work Session for October 19, 2009 IlMetro-inetlardenhillslAdminl CouncilUgendas & Packet In00rmation12009110-19-09 WorksessionlPacket Information110-19-09 -Work Session - Admin Fines.doc Page 2 of 5