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Oxnard code compliance manager says division is fully staffed, outlines enforcement priorities and fireworks crackdown
Summary
Andrew Dixon, Oxnard Citys code compliance manager, told INCO on April 1 the division is fully staffed with seven inspectors and is returning to proactive enforcement, prioritizing substandard housing, graffiti, hazardous sidewalk vendors and expanded fireworks enforcement including drone support and higher fines.
Andrew Dixon, code compliance manager for the City of Oxnard, told the Inter-Neighborhood Council Organization on April 1 that his division is now fully staffed and will resume proactive neighborhood enforcement.
"I am pleased to share that as of 2 weeks ago, our division is now fully staffed," Dixon said, adding the team includes seven code compliance inspectors, two senior officers, two administrators and one inspector assigned to the Safe Home Safe Families program. "We like to educate before enforcing."
Dixon outlined the units primary focus areas on private property: overgrown vegetation, trash accumulation, illegal dumping, graffiti, hoarding conditions, unpermitted construction and substandard housing conditions (including mold, vermin and lack of hot water). He said inspectors get most reports through the citys 311 system, the city website, phone calls and referrals from partner departments including the Oxnard Police Department and Fire Department.
On sidewalk vending and food carts, Dixon said recent California legislation has limited local enforcement. "The state of California, starting in 2018, has passed a whole series of bills that have decriminalized sidewalk vending," he said, adding that enforcement now focuses on public-safety hazards such as open flames and propane tanks through a joint task force called the HERO (Hazard Elimination and Reduction Operation) program with police and fire.
Neighborhood leaders raised specific concerns. Larry Stein, chairman of the Lemonwood neighborhood, said city-owned parks sometimes have excessive vegetation and asked why holiday lights and food carts remain in place. "I want these food carts out here in front of the church because it provides service to the local community," Stein said, while also pressing for consistent enforcement of holiday decorations.
Dixon responded that the department cannot cite city-owned property and must meet nuisance criteria (height and dryness) to act. He also described the citys process for holiday lights: Underwriters Laboratories guidance informs the 90-day fire-hazard threshold the city uses; the city sends violation letters and allows 30 days to remove lights before further action.
On fireworks, Dixon said the city attorney recently proposed increasing the fine for dangerous fireworks from $1,000 per offense to $2,000. He described multi-agency operational plans for the July 4th period that will supplement police staffing with code compliance and civilian fire inspectors, and include drone and fixed‑wing aircraft operations using FLIR to locate hotspots and direct enforcement resources.
When an online resident (Naomi) asked about response time, Dixon said the timeframe varies widely: "If it's something simple, it can be a matter of days if not a couple weeks," he said, but acknowledged some cases have persisted for many years and may require civil citations or court-ordered receivership. He described the civil-citation workflow: confirmation of a violation, written notices, follow-up inspection and issuance of citations (typically on a monthly cadence) when violations remain unresolved.
Dixon closed by urging residents to report issues through 311 (general), the city website, phone at 805-385-7940 or email code.compliance@oxnard.org, and said the division has several Spanish-speaking inspectors to assist non-English speakers.
The presentation concluded with a Q&A that ranged from short-term rental enforcement and commercial building inspections to noise and plan-check roles; Dixon repeatedly emphasized that some matters (parking, animal complaints, hazardous materials, potholes, homelessness outreach and airport flight-pattern complaints) fall under other departments or outside agencies.
What's next: Dixon said inspectors now are assigned to the city's six council districts and that website updates will list district assignments; residents should continue to use 311 for reports and expect variable closure timelines depending on case complexity.
