Council approves first reading of ordinance creating reinspection-fee authority to streamline code enforcement

The Fort Atkinson City Council on Tuesday approved the first reading of an ordinance that would create a centralized code chapter authorizing reinspection fees for follow-up inspections and establishing a waiver process.

Neighborhood and Building Services staff told the council the measure is intended to reduce unpaid citation backlogs and lower the staff time currently required to pursue enforcement. Director Draeger and staff described existing practice: notice is sent to property owners, and citations are currently the primary enforcement tool but are costly and difficult to collect. The proposed ordinance would permit a reinspection fee to be assessed if a property owner fails to correct a cited violation after the standard notice period (typically 30 days), while also allowing staff to waive fees if the owner meets with staff and proposes an acceptable remediation plan.

Staff said the city currently has nearly $14,000 in outstanding citations dating back to 2013 and that the reinspection-fee approach has been used successfully in neighboring jurisdictions such as Whitewater. The ordinance would not eliminate citations or due process; citations and municipal-court remedies would remain available. The council directed the city manager to prepare the ordinance for second and possible third reading on Aug. 5.

City staff characterized the change as an enforcement tool intended to place the cost burden of repeated inspections on the property owner responsible for noncompliance rather than spreading those costs across all taxpayers.