Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bluff P&Z prioritizes enforcement updates; commissioners discuss standard notices and building-permit posting
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a new enforcement spreadsheet and discussed next steps: standard enforcement language in individual ordinances, a model enforcement sequence (30/60/90 days) cited from Moab, the mayor's interim enforcement role, and the need for a joint work session with town council and clearer town-attorney language.
At the Feb. 13 work session the Town of Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a preliminary enforcement spreadsheet that maps current ordinances to their existing remedies and discussed next steps for creating consistent, enforceable language across codes.
Commission staff presented a matrix that lists ordinance numbers, the named ordinance or municipal-code section, the stated purpose, and the remedy or enforcement mechanism currently cited. Commissioners and staff agreed the town attorney should provide standard enforcement language that can be adapted into individual ordinances rather than leaving cross-references to other statutes.
Commissioners emphasized the need for a clear procedural protocol for enforcement actions. One commissioner summarized a model used by Moab in which enforcement is tiered with notices before fines: "they have a 30, 60, 90 day enforcement rule policy," the commissioner said, describing the approach as a way to give notice, allow correction and, if necessary, escalate to fines including daily fines for continuing violations.
Commissioners noted that until the town hires a dedicated enforcement official, the mayor currently carries enforcement responsibility under existing rules, and that staff or council will need to clarify who issues warning letters and what timelines apply. Commissioners asked town staff to seek a town-attorney template for enforcement language and to prepare a joint work session with town council once the commission has refined its proposed procedures.
Members also discussed a limited enforcement improvement that could be implemented quickly: requiring building permits to be posted on-site. Commissioners argued posting permits would improve transparency for neighbors and make enforcement easier to verify.
The commission did not adopt ordinance language at the Feb. 13 meeting. Instead members asked staff to circulate the spreadsheet, work with the town attorney to draft standard language, and schedule a focused work session on enforcement.
