After heated public comment, council asks staff to study options for tackling low‑priority code enforcement issues

City staff presented an update on code enforcement priorities and the three-tier system adopted in 2021: Priority 1 for imminent health/safety threats, Priority 2 for medium-impact issues, and Priority 3 for low-level nuisance violations (illegally parked vehicles, debris, sign violations). Staff said the department currently has two full-time code officers and a hybrid position plus two vacancies in the building division, and that these staffing limits constrain response capacity. Staff also described a prior resolution limiting repeated anonymous low-level complaints and capping the number of simultaneous Tier-3 complaints a single complainant may file to five.

Amy Chen, director of community and economic development, explained that anonymous complainant information is redacted from public records and that contact details are requested to follow up on high-priority cases. Members of the public urged more proactive enforcement of visible blight—broken-down vehicles, garbage on lawns and overgrown lots—and asked for measures to ensure equitable enforcement. One long-serving resident said the community "is sick" of persistent yard and vehicle blight; council members acknowledged both the community's desire for cleaner streets and staff's limited capacity.

After debate, the council voted to direct staff to return with a study of options to address Tier-3 code enforcement issues, including non-proactive and proactive models, estimated costs and timelines, and a recommendation on whether to resume accepting anonymous complaints. The motion passed on a substitute motion that asks staff to present options and fiscal impacts so the council and public can review proposed approaches before any major policy shift.