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9.A. SR 09-02-2008ITEM #9.A. fiver MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Jeremy Barnhart, Planning Manager DATE: September 2, 2008 SUBJECT: Code Enforcement The purpose of this memo is to provide a written update of the enhanced code enforcement actions undertaken by the City since April 1, 2008. As the Council is aware, on April 1, the City took a new, more active code enforcement stance then in the past. The primary reason for this was to better respond to increasing citizen concerns regarding neighborhood deterioration, increasing abandoned and foreclosed properties and their lack of upkeep, and other complaints not consistently regulated or enforced in the past. As directed by the Council, staff has initiated code enforcement actions based on complaints. In some cases, staff has initiated action in close proximity to other activity, even though a complaint has not been received. In all cases, the name of the complainant is kept confidential. Aggressive action against business or industrial citizens follows the same complaint driven process. What We've Done Staff collects code enforcement complaints via several sources. The sources and the approximate usage are as follows: Website 25% Direct E-mail 5% Direct phone calls to the hotline (635-309 45% Direct phone calls to CE Officer Dave Hetrick (635-106 15% Front counter /walk-in traffic 10% Since Apri11, the vast majority of code enforcement complaints regard long grass and junk houses. A report of the cases opened and closed is attached, and summarized here: Total cases opened/closed 160/135 Total long grass complaints opened/closed 103/93 Total junk cases opened/closed 22/9 Through its long grass abatement process, the City has abated 29 homes (several more than once) with billing totaling approximately $8,900. These fees will be assessed to the property owners' taxes at the end of the year. The City went through a competitive bidding process to select its contractor, and staff anticipates a similar process next spring. Trends Staff has noticed that many subdivisions have huge tracts of land in foreclosure or in various stages of abandonment. Windsor Oaks and Twin Lakes Estates are two examples of a problem the City may anticipate seeing mare of in 2009. What We're Working On Thus far, staff has identified several areas that if done more efficiently or differently, would allow a greater level of response or success. Staff is completing is Administrative Citation ordinance, to be considered later this month. On the staffing side, the building permitting support staff is undergoing training to be able to assist with the clerical part of code enforcement, freeing the inspector to do field work. Staff expects code enforcement complaint volume to increase next year, possibly requiring additional staffing hours. In the coming months, staff will be refining our condemnation process to correct some structures that, in the opinion of the Building Official or Fire Chief, constitute a safety hazard. Additionally, staff continues to look for ways to make our complaint response more efficient and effective, while continuing to treat property owners with respect in these actions. Attachments ^ Code Enforcement Report ^ Maps of Subdivisions ^ Sample Letters City of Elk River: Siuninary cly ~ ..~.:. River Tasks eFM Customers Reports Code Enforcement Setup Help New Features! Page 1 of 2 Welcome, Sheila Cartney ~ LOGOUT Activity - - - - :Code Enforcement Summary Report Open Case Report Cumulative Summary « Retum to Report Criteria YfD Requests case by user Report Code Enforcement Summary Report open/closed by Month. Report Criteria: Quick Tally by Source Status Assrgntd To Census Tract /a/anon Open Date Range fo/%w up Date Range Chse Gate Range Quick Taly by Type All Hetrick, Dave All From 04/01/2008 To 08/27/2008 From To From To Case Change Audit CE TOtals Customize Tota/ crowd Cases open Cases Custom Report Totals 150 122 28 case Derail Report CE Cases by Employee Detailed Case Into '. ~p/oy~ Total Closed Cases Open Cases Open Cases By Location Hetrick, Dave 150 122 28 Report By Location Totals 150 122 28 Customers _...___ ............._..,...__._.__..........._.............__._ CE Cases by Violation Customer Accounts Vo/anon TOta/ violations Closed Vo/ations Open hrolations MostACtiveCustomers ~__- "~ Accessory Structure i 0 ~~-~~-~ 1 Department Activity Animal waste 0 0 _. 0 pen and Pending Cases ® _. Clean p001 0 _ . -_ 0 _. 0 Open/Closed by Month Construction hours 0 0 0 Department Performance Exterior Structure 3 z i Average Response Time Fence height 3 2 1 Average Close Time Junk/ Vehicle 9 8 1 No Response Yet ® - ~- ~ - Long grass- grass 108 100 8 Code Enforcement 1 0 i Long grass- noxious Summary Report _. Other Violation 16 9 7 Case Detail Report --- --- ---- - Park on grass -landscape --- . _._. 15 _. 9 6 Last Activity _._ -.... . _.... .. Park on grass -paved ... -... ... 0 ...... ...... 0 . _......... 0 Daily Activity __ _ RefUSe 23 12 11 Time by Census Tract _ _ _. Time by violations Rodents 0 0 0 ___. Time by User Sign IOCat10n5 ~ 1 ~ 1 0 Open Cases by Location Snout 0 0 0 Report by Location ® Vacant land/house 4 3 1 Exception Repart® ~~- - - Yard Establishment - - _.. _, 2 2 - 0 Monthly Activity Report Totals 186 14$ 38 Time to Close Time to Close by Location r-orms Issued Case Aging Case Aging by Location Case by Status -. 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E ~5 aEg _ ~<~ _ _ j l ~x~° ~ f:) ° .°c U v I v V) ~ ~ W' 1orn b+ac L LS E E ~'~ ~~~ c a1~3 oW sl I o°s `~~ ~~ MS? ~'~Q a a ~ ° r °z ; ~rE ~~ ' _ c r E ° °E e's a W I I ~ m i _ m°='c~ & ~ s ~ o s (py ~~~ \ c '_ _ \ 0k \ ~ ° o ,` e d°~ \ % ~ s 1~ s • I t n ~ Ln ~ M ~ 1 1 L D ~ F ~ ~ ~ / ~ >. ~_~ ^ * ~ N~*#* CITY OF ELK RIVER 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 763-635-1000 codeconcerns@ci.elk-river.mn.us Notice of Violation osi2si2oos DATE: John Doe TO: 123 John Doe Blvd Elk River, MN 55330 123 John Doe Blvd RE: Elk River MN 55330 APN: CASE NUMBER: CE2008-175 The City of Elk River continually monitors health, safety, and aesthetic standards by enforcing land use requirements set by City Code. The City of Elk River has received a complaint, which was subsequently confirmed by staff, that violations of the Elk River Municipal Code (ERMC) exist on your property. We are aware that a violation may occur due to a lack of understanding of the City Code, This notification letter is sent to property owners to notify them of City Code requirements and conditions on their property which may require correction. The City requests voluntary compliance, and will work with you toward that goal. An inspection of the above address was conducted on 08/28/2008, which revealed that those items indecated below do not conform to City code(s) and require corrective action: Municipal Description Action required Due Date Code IPMC 302.4 All premises and exterior property shall be Remove weeds and other vegetation 09/07/2008 maintained free from weeds orplant growth in excess of eight (8) inches. The City of Elk River requests your cooperation regarding this matter by correcting the above mentioned violations by the due date specified above, or by contacting Dave .Hetrick, Code Enforcement Officer to establish an alternative plan. If you feel that you are, for any reason unable or unwilling to comply with the liver request, or if you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact my at (763) 635-1067. Failure to comply with this notice of Violation may result in further enforcement action, up to and including citation and abatement, against you. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in attending to this matter. Sincerely, Dave Hetrick, Code Enforcement Officer City of Elk River Cc: John Doe City of Elk - River 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 08/28/2008 John Doe 123 John Doe Blvd Elk River, MN 55330 Dear John Doe, SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL This letter shall serve as notice that property located at 123 John Doe Blvd Elk River MN 55330 is in violation of City Ordinance Section 30-157 referencing the International Property Maintenance Code Section 302.4 "All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 8 inches," and Section 46-32 of the City code "Public Nuisances Affecting Public Health" and specifically Section A.7. which defines the same as "all noxious weeds and other rank growths of vegetation upon public or private property." This section specifies that based on the determination of the City excessive long grass becomes a public nuisance that can be abated through a City process. This letter shall serve as notice that the City intends to abate the property pursuant Section 46-38, Abatement by City Property, per the provisions stated in the enclosed Attachment A. The attachment provides a method of appeals as well. If the grass on the subject property is not mown by 09/11/2008, the City will mow the same and charge you the costs incurred by the city. This charge will then be specially assessed on the property's tax roll. This letter shall also serve notice that during calendar year 2008, if the grass and/or weeds on the subject property exceed 8 inches in height, the City will mow and assess at the same rate with no further formal notice. If you have any questions regarding this issue, please call me at 763-635-1067 Sincerely, Dave Hetrick Code Enforcement Official Cc: Jeremy Barnhart, Planning Manager Phone: 763.635.1000 Fax: 763.635.1090 www ci.elk-river.mn.us Attachment A Sec. 46-38. Abatement by city, (a) Upon discovering a public nuisance under the provisions of this article the city administrator or designee shall serve a notice upon the owner of the property upon which the nuisance exists. Such notice shall be given by certified mail at the last known address as shown on the property tax records of the county. Such notice shall advise that a nuisance exists and require the property owner to abate the nuisance within a reasonable time, as established by the city administrator or designee and stated in the notice. Such time shall not be less than 14 days. Such notice shall also advise the property owner of the right to request a hearing before the city administrator or designee to contest the contents of the notice. (b) If requested by the person upon whom the notice is served under subsection (a) of this section, a hearing before the city administrator or designee shall be held at which the person may contest the contents of the notice. The request for such a hearing must be made within five days after receipt of the notice provided for in subsection (a) of this section. After such hearing the city administrator or designee may affirm the notice, modify the notice or quash the notice. (c) If the property owner does not abate the nuisance as required by the notice provided for in subsection (a) of this section and has not requested a hearing before the city administrator or designee under subsection (b) of this section, authorized agents of the city shall abate the nuisance. The cost of such abatement shall be collected as a special assessment against the property upon which the nuisance was located. (d) If the property owner requests a hearing before the city administrator or designee under subsection (b) of this section, no abatement actions shall be taken until the hearing is held. If after the hearing the city administrator or designee affirms or modifies the notice and the nuisance is not abated as provided in the notice as affirmed or modified, authorized agents of the city shall abate the nuisance. The cost of such abatement shall be collected as a special assessment against the property upon which the nuisance was located. (e) Nothing in this section prevents abatement by the city of a public nuisance without notice and hearing in the case of an emergency in which there is an immediate and direct threat to the public health or safety. The expense of such an emergency abatement shall be collected as a special assessment against the property upon which the nuisance was located.