Amanda (city attorney) introduced a council goal to streamline Wilsonville’s code-enforcement process and asked whether council wanted to proceed to draft code changes. Hannah Young (legal department) described an internal review and jurisdictional research, noting that current Chapter 1 language provides a single 'not exceeding $500' fine and immediately escalates subsequent violations toward misdemeanor classification — a structure staff said lacks flexibility and does not match how the city currently administers many infractions.

Staff proposed several changes: clarify classification of violations so fines can be graduated by severity and recurrence; formally codify a voluntary compliance agreement (VCA) practice, including clear timelines (example: 10 days to cure after citation) and an appeal path; and rationalize the chain of enforcement authority across departments so responsibility aligns with operational reality (building official for building-code violations, planning for land-use violations, code-compliance coordinator for general nuisances). Staff emphasized that some enforcement processes (for example, industrial pretreatment water enforcement) must remain unchanged because of external requirements.

Councilor Cunningham, and staff clarified, asked whether these changes would permit local criminal prosecutions; staff reiterated that misdemeanors would still be routed to the Clackamas County Sheriff and district attorney for criminal enforcement. Hannah Young said staff will return with draft code language in early 2026 and that some chapters (such as Chapter 4) will require Planning Commission review before final council consideration.

Council members expressed general support for clearer, more consistent enforcement and for publishing an accessible chain of authority so the public knows who enforces particular provisions.