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Council introduces ordinance to let code enforcement enforce business licenses
Summary
Council introduced an ordinance to amend the city code so the finance director may delegate business-license enforcement to the chief code enforcement official and the code enforcement division; the motion passed on introduction by roll call.
The Ukiah City Council voted Jan. 15 to introduce by title an ordinance amending the city code to allow the director of finance to delegate business-license enforcement to the city’s code enforcement division.
The ordinance would add the chief code enforcement official (and the code enforcement division generally) to the existing delegation options that already include finance staff and police officers, allowing code enforcement officers to inspect businesses and check for valid business licenses under the director’s authority.
“Currently, that will not change. Our current ordinance then puts enforcement of those licenses into the bucket with our local police department,” Chief Building Official Matt Kiser said. “What we’re proposing … is to allow our code enforcement officers to go out and speak with these business owners and to enforce those licenses.”
Assistant City Attorney Darcy Vaughn explained the change is mainly a delegation adjustment within the city code: the director of finance retains enforcement responsibility but may appoint additional assistants to perform inspections and enforcement. The proposed text explicitly allows code enforcement personnel to enter businesses and ask to see business licenses during periodic inspections.
Why it matters: Council and staff said the change is intended to reduce the burden on police resources for routine license checks and to provide a less intimidating administrative enforcement pathway for late or noncompliant licenses.
Public comment included a resident who said she had previously faced substantial fines for a late license and urged robust enforcement of businesses that pose public-safety risks. The ordinance was introduced on unanimous roll call with the following votes: Councilmember Roden — yes; Councilmember Chris — yes; Councilmember Orozco — yes; Vice Mayor Schurr — aye; Mayor Crane — aye. The introduction is a first reading by title only; adoption will require a subsequent hearing or vote per council procedure.
