Council to consider ordinance letting Snoqualmie recoup code-enforcement costs, consolidate appeals with hearing examiner

City Attorney Burke told the Snoqualmie Community Development Committee that a proposed ordinance would let the city recoup costs from responsible parties for code enforcement and abatement actions and would consolidate appeals before the hearing examiner rather than the city council.

Burke said the changes address inconsistencies in the municipal code that now route nuisance abatement appeals and other code-violation appeals to different adjudicators. He argued consolidating appeals with the hearing examiner would reduce the appearance of politicized decisions and prevent ex parte communications that can arise if council members act as quasi-judicial decision-makers. "Empowering the hearing examiner to hear all such appeals would also remove the city council from direct involvement in quasi-judicial appeal processes," Burke said. He added that the ordinance is intended to ensure the city can recover the cost of staff time, attorney time and outside consultants from responsible parties so that those costs do not fall on taxpayers.

Council members asked whether the ordinance would require additional review by the planning commission; Burke replied it would not, because the changes relate to recoupment and appeal routes rather than land-use zoning. Committee members agreed the ordinance should move forward; the group discussed scheduling and confirmed the item will go to the city council for first reading at the next council meeting. Staff will place the ordinance on the council agenda for consideration.