REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
October 20, 2016
FROM: BRUCE RUDD, City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
BILL - (For introduction and adoption) - An emergency ordinance of the City of Fresno, California, amending Section 1-308(g) of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to Administrative Citations and Penalties and amending and adding Subsections to Section 11-307 of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to Code Violations (Requires five affirmative votes).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the Council approve an emergency ordinance amending Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) Sections 1-308(g) and 11-307 relating to egregious property owners and increased fines for health and safety and building code violations.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On December 8, 2015, the City Manager established the Strike Team on Problem Properties (STOPP), which consists of representatives from the Department of Development and Resource Management, City Attorney's Office, Fresno Police Department, and Fresno Fire Department, as well as the Fresno County and City Housing Authority. The original purpose of the STOPP Team has been two-fold; focus on negligent property owners of multi-family properties and to develop new policies and practices needed to revamp the manner in which the City of Fresno (City) addresses problem property owners. One of the first changes in policy was adopted in May 2016, when the Council amended FMC Section 10-708, which allowed the City to hold a Homeowner's Association of Property Management firm responsible for activities that generated excessive calls for Police and Fire Services.
Another issue identified by the STOPP Team was the level of citations for violations of health and safety requirements as prescribed by the FMC and State Building Codes compared to other general code infractions, such as overgrown vegetation, old tires, and trash. The recommended amendments to the FMC in addition to proposed changes in the Master Fee Schedule will rectify this by increasing...
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