Council begins drafting 'habitual violator' ordinance; staff to clarify penalties and fee references

Council discussed a draft habitual violator ordinance intended to streamline enforcement for properties with repeated violations. Staff said the draft uses the common definition—three or more violations within a rolling 12‑month period—and recommended referring to the city’s fee schedule rather than hard-coding dollar amounts in multiple ordinance sections.

Staff reported there are currently 13 properties that have required more than two contacts since the changeover to the city’s iWORKS system in late July, and that the city issued 60 invoices for abatement work since January. The proposed approach would allow the city to levy a monetary penalty on owners who receive three notices in a 12‑month window even if they clean up after prior notices. Staff asked council whether $250 is an appropriate citation level; council members debated the balance between deterrence and affordability.

Councilmembers agreed to keep the penalty mechanics flexible by referencing the fee schedule and asked staff and council counsel to refine paragraph c(2) of the draft ordinance. A council member said they would share language collected from other communities to speed drafting. Staff will revise the draft and return with a clean ordinance ready for legal review and a future council vote.

What happens next: staff will revise the ordinance draft (including fee references and paragraph c(2)), consult with the city attorney as needed, and return with a recommended ordinance and implementation steps for council consideration.