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Committee backs ordinance additions to allow administrative citations for code violations, with clarifications requested
Summary
Committee members supported adding administrative citations and fines to the municipal code for certain parking, beach-pass and short-term-rental violations, and asked staff to clarify service-of-process methods, the 12-month violation window and a proposed threshold for suspension of permits.
Town staff presented a proposed municipal code amendment on April 20 to add administrative citations and fines as an enforcement option for certain code violations, including short-term rental rules and parking violations on town property.
Staff described the proposal as an additional tool to the town's existing enforcement options that would allow civil administrative fines and a defined appeals process. Under the draft language discussed at the meeting, fines for short-term rental violations would escalate by occurrence (examples in the packet: $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second within a 12-month window, and $1,000 for a third within 12 months), and parking/beach-violation fines were proposed on a separate scale; repeated violations could trigger suspension or revocation of a short-term rental permit.
Councilmembers supported moving the amendments to full council but asked for several clarifications before final action: they requested precise language defining the 12-month period used to calculate repeat violations (calendar year vs. rolling 12 months), and they asked the town attorney to confirm acceptable methods of service when owners or managers are outside the jurisdiction (email alone versus last-known address, property posting, or service by an out-of-state process server). Councilmembers also discussed whether the suspension threshold should be lower than the draft's five citations in 12 months; the committee recommended a lower threshold (three) be considered.
Public commenters asked that penalties be effective against habitual bad actors and urged that fines be large enough to deter repeat violations. Staff said the town currently uses an out-of-state process server contractor for service-of-process when necessary and will work with the town attorney to tighten the ordinance language. On a motion from a committee member, the committee voted to recommend the municipal code amendments to the full town council with the clarifications requested.
