The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1B Update to Compliance Policy ~ ~HILLS MEMORANDUM AttheOctober20,2008,worksession,theCityCouncilreviewedanddiscussedanumberof potentialprojectstohelpaddresscodecomplianceconcernsintheCity.Together,theseprojects arepartofanoverallcommunityenhancementprogram.Aspartofthatdiscussion,theCouncil cametoaconsensustoinvestigateandworktowardimplementingthefollowingcommunity enhancementprograms: 1.Developanddistributeeducationalmaterialsforpropertyownersandtenants regardingCityregulations;- ongoing 2.ReviewcommonlyviolatedCityregulationstoincreaseclarityandenforceability whilemeetingCitygoals;- ongoing 3.Reviewandupdatethenuisanceregulationsanddevelopanacceleratedabatement procedureforcertaintypesofongoingnuisances;- completed 4.Developaformalcodecomplianceresponsepolicy;- subjectofthismemo 5.Reviewandworktowardimplementingarentalregistrationprogram- Tentatively setforMay2009,worksession 19, 6.Continueinvestigationofanadministrativefineprogram.- partof2009work plan Inaccordancewiththeworkplan,staffhasreviewedtheexistingcodeenforcementprocessand preparedapolicyforCouncilreview.Theprimarypurposeofthisreviewistoprepareamore formal,clearer,andCouncilsupportedpolicythatstaffcanuseasaguideforthecompliance process. CityofArdenHills CityCouncilMeetingforApril2009 13, ICC WhiletheCitydoesnothaveaformallyadoptedcompliancepolicy,staffhasfollowedaprocess whenworkingwithcomplaintsandviolations.Uponreceivingacomplaint,theCityperformsan inspectionand,iftheviolationisverified,aletterissenttotheaddressoftheviolation.Incases wheretheRamseyCountypropertydatabaseincludesanalternativeaddressfortheproperty owner,aletterissenttothepropertyaddressandtotheowneratthealternativeaddress.The processmayinvolvetwoadditionalnoticeswithtento14daysbetweeneachnoticeifthe violationisnotresolved.Ifthepropertyownerdoesnotrespondand/ortheviolationdoesnot showanyprogresstowardbeingresolved,acitationmaybeissued.Thistypeofprocessisvery similartoothercities. Violationstendtofallintotwocategories.Thefirstgroupincludesthepeoplethatareoftennot awareoftheregulations,andtheyusuallyworktoquicklyresolvetheviolation.Thisisthebulk ofviolationsandsecondnotificationsarenotallthatcommon. Thesecondgrouptendstobethepeoplethatignorethenotificationsand/orareunconcerned withcityordinancesforonereasonoranother.Thiscategoryismuchsmallerandobtaining compliancetakesmuchlongerorleadstoacitation.Whenacitationisissued,somewillwork toresolvetheviolationtoavoidattendingcourtbutotherswillfollowthecourtprocessto completion.Thesearetheviolationsthatareparticularlyconcerningtoresidentsbecauseitcan appearasthoughtheCityhasnotrespondedsincetheviolationmaycontinueformanymonths whileitiscourt. Citationsareatooloflastresort.Whenacitationisissued,itisnotuncommonfortheviolation tocontinueforanothersixto12monthsdependingonhowlongittakesthedistrictcourtto reviewthecase.Additionally,theCityincurslegalcostsassociatedwithprocessingthecitation. Duetothetimelineandcostsofacitation,staffhasgonetogreatlengthstoworkwithproperty ownerstoachievecompliance.Whenthecitationisreviewedbythecourt,itisnotuncommon forthecourttoissueasmallfineandordertheviolationtoberesolvedwithinacertaintime period.Additionalpenaltiesmaybestayedprovidedthereisnotareoccurrenceoftheviolation. WhilethereisnothinginherentlywrongwiththeeXIstmgprocess,movingtowardamore formalizedandcityadoptedprocesswillbehelpfultobothstaffandresidents.Theproposed policyismeanttobemorestreamlined,provideadditionaldetail,andbecompatibletothe timelinesintherecentlyupdatednuisanceordinance. Adoptingapolicydoesnotlockthecityintooneprocessthatmustbeappliedtoallsituationsno matterthecircumstances.Someflexibilitywillstillbeneeded.However,aCouncilsupported CityofArdenHills CityCouncilMeetingforApril2009 13, CC andapprovedpolicywouldgivestaffmoreofafootingwhendealingwithuncooperative propertyowners. Thenotabledifferencesintheproposednewpolicyincludea: •descriptionofwhatacompletedcomplaintentails; •requirementforcomplainantstoprovidetheirnameandcontactinformationwhenthey submitacomplaintonanotherproperty.Namesandcontactinformationarekept confidentialasrequiredbyStatestatute; •reductionfromthreenotificationperiodsdowntotwo; •reductioninthetimeperiodbetweennotificationsfromten-14daysdowntosevendays; •recognitionoftheupdatedabatementprocess,whichdoesincludethenewaccelerated abatementprocess; •additionofathankyoucardtothosepropertiesthatquicklycomply; •additionofareoccurrenceclausethatallowsstafftoremoveoneofthenotification periodsifasubstantiallysimilarviolationoccurswithin12or24months.Sincethe propertyhasalreadybeeneducatedontheregulations,itshouldnotbenecessaryto restarttheprocessiftheviolationreoccurs.Whenthereisacomplaintbutthecityis unabletoverifytheviolation,thepropertyisstillsentaneducationalletterunderthe proposedpolicy.Ifasimilarviolationoccursandisverifiedwithin12months,a notificationperiodcanbeskipped.Whentheviolationisverifiedaftertheinitial complaint,thepolicyallowsstafftoskipthefirstnotificationiftheviolationreoccurs within24months.Therewouldbeanexceptionifthehouseissoldsincethenew propertyownerswouldneedtobefullyinformed. Sincemanyviolationsarequicklyresolvedwithoneletterand/oraphonecall,shorteningthe timelineintheproposedcompliancepolicywillhavelittleimpactonmanycomplaints.In reality,mostviolationsdonotrequirethreenotificationsandpotentiallyaslongas30daysto resolve.Thenewtimelinehasmoreofanimpactonthosepropertiesthatdonotacknowledge thecomplaintorworktoresolveit.Insomeinstances,acitationorabatementmaybeinitiated earlierthanwhatwouldhavebeenundertheexistingprocess.Staffwillstilldiligentlyworkto findworkablesolutionsthatareincompliancewiththeregulationssinceissuingacitationdoes haveacosttotheCityandcanmaketheviolationlastlonger. AlthoughhavingaCouncilsupportedandwrittenprocessishelpful,itshouldnotbeassumed thatthispolicywillautomaticallyresultinareductionincomplaintsorviolations.Nomatter whatprocessisinplace,therewillalwaysbesomepropertyownersthatsimplyrefusetocomply withtheregulations.However,staffdoeshopethatthisprocesswillresultinsolutionsthatare implementedquicker. Staffiscertainlyopentootherideasandsuggestionstotheproposedpolicy.Discussionpoints mayinclude: •Notificationsandtimeline.Thenumberofnotificationsandthetimegivenfor compliancecouldbeincreasedinthepolicy,thoughtheproposedtimelinesaresimilar CityofArdenHills CityCouncilMeetingforApril]3,2009 CC totherecentlyadoptedabatementordinance.Theacceleratedabatementordinancecan besomewhatfasterdependingonifaCouncilhearingisneededtoimposethe abatementprocess. •Anonymouscomplaints.Thepolicyrequirescomplainantstoincludetheircontact information,thoughitiskeptconfidential.Othercitieshaveadoptedthisrequirement becauseitcandiscouragepeoplefromsubmittedfrivolousorretaliatorycomplaints. Nevertheless,staffwouldstillwanttoinspectanonymouscomplaintswheneverthere maybealifeorsafetyconcern. •Reoccurrenceclause.Thisisachangetothepolicybutwilllikelyhelpwithrepeat offenders.Theacceleratedabatementprocessincludesasimilarclause. Subjecttoreviewandfinalizationoftheproposedcodecompliancepolicy,staffrecommends forwardingthepolicytoaregularCityCouncilmeetingforrecognitionandadoption. CityofArdenHills CityCouncilMeetingforApril13,2009 CC \IMetro-inet.uslardenhillslAdminICounci/lAgendasPacketInformationI2009104-13-09WorksessionlPacketInformation1041309-Memo- Compliancepolicy.doc CityofArdenHills CodeCompliancePolicy April!3,2009 DRAFT Purpose: TheCityofArdenHillsseekstoprotectthequalityoflife,propertyvalues,aesthetics, andsafetythroughconsistentandtimelyenforcementoftheArdenHillsCityCode.Thiscode compliancepolicyisadoptedtoguidestaffanddesignedtoapplyastandardprocedureto achievecodecompliancewhileworkingtoeducateandprovideareasonabletimeframefor propertyownersandtenantstoresolvenoncomplianceissues. SubmittingaComplaint: InorderfortheCitytoinvestigateacomplaint,thefollowing informationisrequired: 1.Completeaddressofviolation(oradjacentaddressifinright-of-way) 2.Descriptionofviolation 3.Nameandcontactinformationofcomplainant(keptasconfidentialinformation) 4.Duringregularbusinesshours,thecomplaintcanbesubmittedtoCityHallbymailorby phoneat651-792-7800.Foron-streetparkingviolationsandanyviolationthatoccurs duringnon-businesshours,pleasecontacttheRamseyCountySheriffnon-emergency lineat651-767-0640. 5.PeoplearestronglyencouragedtocontactCitystaffand/ortheRamseyCountySheriff whiletheviolationisoccurringsothattheviolationcanbewitnessed. CityCodeComplianceProcess*: Complaint. 1.ThecompletedcomplaintissubmittedtotheCity. Inspection. 2.Staffvisitsthepropertytoinspectthecomplaint,follow-upwith complainanttoinformthemofthecomplianceprocess,andinitiatecontactwiththe propertyandtenantsofthesubjectproperty.Staffshallstrivetocompletethisstep withintwoworkingdaysofreceivingthecompletedcomplaint. Notification. 3. a.Cityverifiedviolation:Forcomplaintsthatareverifiedbyastaffinspection,the propertyownerandtenantshallbeinformedoftheviolation,howtoresolvethe violation,theapplicableordinancenumber(s),whentheissuewasreported,any applicableeducationalmaterials,andinstructionstoresolvetheviolationwithin sevendays.Staffshallattempttocontactthepropertyownerandtenantbyphone andshallsendaletterwiththerequiredinformation.Proceedtostepfour. b.NoCityverifiedviolation:Forcomplaintsthathavenotbeenverifiedorwitnessed byCitystaff,thepropertyownerandtenantshallbeinformedofthecomplaint, theapplicableordinance(s),andsuppliedwithanyapplicableeducational materials.Staffshallattempttocontactthepropertyownerandtenantbyphone andshallsendaletterwiththerequiredinformation.Proceedtostepfour. Re-inspection. 4.Staffre-inspectsthepropertyaftersevendays. a.Iftheviolationisnotresolved,proceedtostepfive. b.Iftheviolationisresolvedornotpresent,noadditionalactionisrequired.Ifthe violationreoccursandisverifiedwithin12monthsoftheinitialreportdate,staff mayproceedtostepfive.Staffwillfollowupwithathankyounotetothe propertyownerforviolationsthatarepromptlyresolved. Final 5.Notice.Thepropertyownerandtenantshallbeinformedoftheviolation,howto resolvetheviolation,theapplicableordinancenumber(s),whentheissuewasreported, andanyapplicableeducationalmaterials.Thelettershalldirecttheviolationtobe resolvedwithinseven(7)daysor1)acitationwillbeissued,or2)theabatementprocess willbeinitiated,whicheverismostapplicable.Staffshallattempttocontacttheproperty ownerandtenantbyphoneandshallsendaletterwiththerequiredinformation. 6.CityAction.Iftheviolationremainsunresolvedafterthesevendaytimeperiod,a citationwillbeissuedortheabatementprocesswillbeinitiated,whicheverismost applicable. 7.Reoccurrence.Ifasubstantiallysimilarviolationoccursonthesamepropertywithin24 months,theCitymaysendaletterrequiringtheissuetoberesolvedwithinseven(7) daysoreitheracitationwillbeissuedortheabatementprocessinitiated,whicheveris mostapplicable. TheCity'sprimarygoalistoobtaincompliance.Citystaffshallapplythispolicyequitably; however,uniquesituationsmaywarrantflexibilityiftheresultisabetterandlonglasting solution. *TheRamseyCountySheriffmayissueticketsorcitationsoutsideofthiscodecompliance process. \\Metro-inetlardenhiIls\Admin\Council\AgendasPacketInformation\2oo9\04-13-09Worksession\PacketInformation\040709-DRAFT codecompliancepolicy.doc 4/10/2009