Committee backs ordinance to create a single civil citation/hearing process under Chapter 32

Assistant corporation counsel Sinclair Williams presented two related ordinance amendments that would consolidate fragmented enforcement processes across the city code into a uniform civil citation, hearing and appeal procedure under Chapter 32. Williams said many existing ordinances lack consistent hearing and notice procedures; the proposed package updates Section 32.1 to apply the hearing framework broadly, clarifies penalties in Section 32‑2, strengthens hearing‑officer minimum qualifications in Section 32‑3, and preserves a limited nuisance category in Section 32‑4.

Williams told the committee the proposal follows the state statute governing municipal citation procedures and mirrors practices used today by the city's LCI and parking hearing officers: a citation, a 10‑day window to request a hearing, an administrative hearing before an independent hearing officer, and 30 days to appeal a hearing‑officer decision to superior court. He said hearing officers must be at least 18, cannot be city employees, and must recuse for conflicts of interest; the administration expects the role to be performed by volunteers. Williams also said staff will provide training focused on code content and hearing procedure.

Committee members pressed for more operational detail: a complete list of code sections that will use the new process, a public roster of current hearing officers, and whether hearing officers should be vetted or confirmed by the Board. Members voted to add language clarifying that examples in the definition are "but not limited to," and they adopted an amendment requiring a process for Board review/confirmation of hearing officers going forward. The package — as amended — received a favorable recommendation to the full board by voice vote.