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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 1996 1104 CC SPCMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL Moorpark, California November 4, 1996 A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Moorpark was held on November 4, 1996, in the Council Chambers of said City located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California. 1. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Lawrason called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Perez. 3. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmembers Brown, Hunter, Perez, Wozniak and Mayor Lawrason Staff Present: Steven Kueny, City Manager; Nelson Miller, Director of Community Development; Lillian Hare, City Clerk; Sr. Deputy Ed Tumbleson, Sheriff's Department. 3. PRESENTATIONS /ACTION /DISCUSSION: A. Consider Issues and Staffing Levels Relating to Code Enforcement Program. Staff Recommendation: Review and discuss issues. Mr. Miller gave the staff report. In response to Councilmember Wozniak, Mr. Miller indicated that the City coordinates with other agencies and agrees upon which agency should take the lead in responding to a code enforcement situation. He said usually within the City, the City takes the lead. Tony Simen, 726 Nogales Avenue, addressed the Council and protested the absence of code enforcement in his neighborhood, Virginia Colony. He said there was trash, illegally occupied trailers, old broken down cars and inhabited sheds and other problems in his area. He said the problem is intolerable and the value of the homes in this area are depreciating. He said he has written letters to the City Councilmembers and spoken directly to two Councilmembers. He said he wanted to thank Councilmember Brown for placing the item on the agenda. Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 2 November 4, 1996 Dee Talley, 306 McFadden, addressed the Council regarding _ code enforcement problems. She said she could not say it better than Mr. Simen. She said the City needs to find the money and the staff and get the job done. She said there is terrible overcrowding with twenty people or more in one house. She said it is not always apparent during the day time, but on the weekends and in the evenings there are cars parked in the street, in driveways and on the grass. She said loud and disruptive music is played. Mayor Lawrason said the Council has seen code enforcement problems ebb and flow but the problems seem to be back in full force. Councilmember Wozniak said that staffing needs to be addressed. He said in addition to the lack of staffing in Code Enforcement, he sees that there is a tremendous problem with the procedures in place. He said not giving citations does not work. He said he would like to see the procedures simplified and slashed dramatically, and see a change in code enforcement priorities. Councilmember Brown said she agreed with Councilmember Wozniak, there was a need for additional clerical help so that the Code Enforcement Officer could spend his time in the field. She said she wanted to consider a new approach to Code Enforcement. She said the City should solve the visible problems -- parking and property maintenance. She said regarding the priority listing for Code Enforcement, No. 1 should be changed to indicate that clerical staff would respond to the complainant receipt of the complaint and that the Code Enforcement Officer will follow up. Mayor Lawrason said he agreed that the property maintenance issues are important but is not sure that the City can avoid looking at the inside of the houses where there are violations. Councilmember Brown said she felt it was important that Code Enforcement treat the symptoms -- parking on lawns and the exterior maintenance problems of homes in violation of City Codes. She said "if we treat the symptoms we may be able to get at the root causes ". Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 3 November 4, 1996 Councilmember Perez said he believed it was important to push the authority to take action in Code Enforcement cases down to the lowest level of staff possible. In response to Council question, Mr. Miller said infractions can be written like traffic violations if the Council directs staff to prepare an Ordinance to that effect. Councilmember Brown said the Code Enforcement Officer should only come back to City Hall to write a letter where there is a violation if he cannot make contact in the field. Councilmember Hunter said he believed it was important to acknowledge within one day that a complaint has been received. He said a time frame should then be established for investigating code enforcement offenses which should be prioritized by the seriousness of the violation. He said he believed that Code Enforcement should be allowed to receive anonymous complaints. CONSENSUS: By consensus the Council agreed that there is a nexus between the seriousness of a complaint and the priority of its investigation. Councilmember Wozniak indicated he would like to look at procedures first and then set priorities. He said we need to get rid of the layers of approval especially in the cases of repeat offenders. He also said we need to give the Director of Community Development the ability to authorize action. He said he believes the second call the Code Enforcement Officer makes on a person should be an automatic citation. He said he would support enacting an Ordinance to allow the Code Enforcement Officer to write violations as tickets. He said he thought the City should focus on the 30% percent of the Code Enforcement cases where there is non compliance. He said the Code Enforcement Officer needs to be on the street and the clerical support in the department is not enough at present to allow that to happen. He said we need to get whatever clerical support is necessary. He said we need to give Code Enforcement the tools to get the job done. Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 4 November 4, 1996 Mr. Kueny requested that the Council address code enforcement policy issues. He said staff needs a consensus on what the Council's direction is relative to citing. He asked if the Council wants, in every case, a first contact to result in a citation, or a first contact to result in a courtesy notice of violation? He also agreed that citation authority could exist within the Community Development Department. CONSENSUS: By consensus the Council determined that first contact should be at least a courtesy notice of violation. CONSENSUS: By consensus the Council determined that anonymous complaints should be accepted by Code Enforcement. Mr. Kueny indicated that he and the Director of Community Development believed that if a postcard response form could be developed, then each person making a complaint should be responded to within one day. He also indicated that staff should be left the discretion as to which complaints would have the highest priority. Councilmember Wozniak said the Council must have the fortitude to follow up with Code Enforcement action. Mr. Kueny indicated that in some cases Code Enforcement action would mean that a house is red tagged and a family moved out of their home. Mayor Lawrason said there are many difficult issues. But certainly the Council did not relish putting anyone out of their home. He said there were difficult issues which he would like Mr. Miller to address in a report back to Council - who will be the arbitrator, what is the balance, how far should the City go, who makes the decisions. Councilmember Brown said she was disappointed that County Public Social Services Agency was not here this evening. She said she believed that the County Housing Authority and Catholic Charities representatives needed to be a part of the discussion. CONSENSUS: By consensus the Council directed staff to report the cost -- salary and benefits, to add additional clerical support in the Code Enforcement division and the options for funding. Councilmember Brown suggested looking at funding from the Redevelopment Agency. Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 5 November 4, 1996 Councilmember Hunter said he was looking for input from other agencies such as County Social Services, the Fire District, Animal Control and the County Health Department. Councilmember Wozniak said in looking at the priority listing for Code Enforcement Officers, he felt that priority No. 1 and No. 5 could be combined if the reference to the college was deleted. In response to Council question, Mr. Kueny suggested talking to the Health Department regarding food vendors and citing them for illegal activities. Councilmember Wozniak said he would appreciate a date certain for scheduling a future discussion by Wednesday's meeting, if possible. Councilmember Brown suggested that the City contract with a temporary clerical service for 20 hours a week to begin immediately "freeing up" of the Code Enforcement Officer for work in the field. Mr. Kueny indicated that the person currently working as -- a clerical aide in the Community Development Department could be given extended hours. He suggested that the level of clerical support and funding source and the revisions to procedures come back at the November 20, 1996 meeting. CONSENSUS: By consensus the Council determined to agree with the City Manager as stated above and to consider this matter again at a later meeting in November. 5. ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: Councilmember Hunter moved and Councilmember Wozniak seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The time was 8:40 p.m. 1 Paul W. L wrason Jr , Mayor ATTEST: Lillian E. Hare, City Cle° M ej .