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Cloverdale staff propose OpenGov portal, job-description change and regional RFP to address code-enforcement backlog
Summary
City staff told the council they will use the city's OpenGov portal to streamline code-enforcement complaints, propose amending the associate-planner job description to include enforcement duties, and join an RFP with nearby cities to fund contracted enforcement for complex cases. Council members asked for clarity about scope and stronger follow-up on persistent public-safety concerns.
City staff updated the council on code enforcement during new business on May 13, proposing three near-term steps to improve complaint handling and case resolution.
The first step is to repurpose the city's OpenGov permit portal so residents can file code-enforcement complaints online; submissions will automatically route to the relevant departments and the complainant will receive status updates. Staff said the portal capability is already paid for and the record type can be added at no additional cost.
Second, staff said they will propose amending the associate planner’s job description, reclassifying the position to Senior Planner and officially assigning code-enforcement responsibilities. The change would formalize work that an associate planner has been doing informally.
Third, the city is participating in a regional RFP led by nearby jurisdictions (Cotati, Windsor, Sonoma and Cloverdale) to secure up to a modest pool of funds for contracted code-enforcement services to address particularly difficult or complex cases; the staff presentation noted a prior vendor relationship ended when the contractor folded.
Council members emphasized that current enforcement is insufficient and described specific safety hazards—encroached sidewalks, exposed electrical cords, and improperly parked RVs—that they want resolved. Several council members urged clearer guidelines defining which cases qualify as "complex" for the contracted-service pool and faster, more visible follow-up on longstanding complaints.
City attorney Alex Ma and staff described the typical enforcement workflow (multiple notices, court abatement if necessary, then contracting for cleanup and a lien or cost recovery when possible) and cautioned that court timelines and additional staff time can lengthen the process.
What happens next: staff will finish the OpenGov record type and return with a proposed job-description amendment and more details on the RFP scope and cost threshold. Council asked that code enforcement improvements be a near-term budget priority and requested clearer public information about how complaints are handled.
Sources: City staff presentation, Council discussion, city attorney remarks; Cloverdale City Council meeting, May 13, 2026.
