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Desert Hot Springs council pauses some fines, sets compliance deadlines in public‑nuisance hearings
Summary
The council heard multiple property owners contesting code‑enforcement fines and voted to defer or suspend several citations if owners achieve compliance by set deadlines — notably giving the Sandpiper Inn an August 9 compliance deadline before assessments go to the county tax collector.
The Desert Hot Springs City Council on July 1 held a long public hearing on public‑nuisance abatements and ensuing fees, hearing from dozens of property owners and directing staff to work with them to achieve compliance before placing unpaid amounts on the county tax roll.
Mayor Mattis opened the hearing on a staff recommendation to assess outstanding administrative citations from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. Staff said 136 property owners were notified; since then 26 owners paid outstanding fees and eight properties were dismissed following compliance. The preliminary list included commercial properties and four cannabis‑related sites.
Several residents described steps they have taken to correct violations and asked for reductions or pauses on the fines. Leslie Valencia, who manages the Sandpiper Inn at 12800 Foxtail Drive, said she had paid $1,700 and believed she could pass a final inspection within days. “We’ve done everything — new fence, doors, cameras — we just need a final inspection,” Valencia told the council.
Emily, a city code compliance staffer, described the case history and outstanding items, including questions about whether the property had been used as housing rather than transient lodging. Staff told the council the remaining balance on the Sandpiper Inn case was about $10,200 after two citations were paid.
After extensive council discussion, a motion carried directing staff to work with owners and to add remaining abatement costs to the tax roll only if properties were not made compliant by specified deadlines. The council approved a plan that gives the Sandpiper Inn until August 9 to reach compliance; if staff confirms compliance, fines may be waived or reduced, but if not the $10,200 would be forwarded to the county tax collector.
Other individual cases were handled similarly. The council agreed to pause a $200 fine for a property at 66590 Acoma Avenue pending reinspection, and it voted unanimously to hold the $1,000 ADU fine for 66713 Joseph Way for six months while staff follows up on remaining inspections and permitting. A request to waive a $1,000 fireworks citation for a property owner who provided a management statement was granted with a recorded objection from Mayor Pro Tem Gardner.
Several council members emphasized that the city’s intent is compliance rather than revenue. “We’re not here to make money; we’re here to get compliance,” the mayor said when explaining the direction to staff. Councilmembers stressed that repeated or longstanding violations would be treated differently and that any future noncompliance could result in collection action.
The council’s motions direct staff to meet owners, negotiate corrective plans and return with inspections or confirm compliance before August or the dates specified. If owners fail to achieve compliance, staff will move forward with placing unpaid amounts on the tax roll.
