In response to a critical grand jury report, Morro Bay is
hiring new code enforcement officers to move away from its historically
complaint-driven regulatory process.
In May, the San Luis Obispo County civil grand jury published
a report that said handling of citizen complaints for municipal code violations
was ineffective and inconsistent. The jury recommended hiring a new code
enforcement officer to proactively handle violations and respond to citizen
complaints, a position that has been left vacant since 2005.
In a July 14 letter to San Luis Obispo Superior Court
Presiding Judge Dodie Harmon, Morro Bay Mayor Jamie Irons wrote that the city
had already begun that process prior to the report during discussions about the
2014-15 budget.
The city then included a $100,000 allotment for at least one
code enforcement officer in the 2015-16 budget.
“While over some years, code enforcement in Morro Bay has
been neglected, new leadership in the city is serious about markedly improving
the quality of life in the community through a more effective code enforcement
program,” Irons wrote.
The city said in a news release that it will conduct several
months of community outreach before cracking down on code violations through
the levying of any fines.
That outreach will include a new section to the city website
on nuisance abatement to guide residents on the city’s most frequent code
enforcement issues and how to properly address them.
Deputy City Manager Sam Taylor said Thursday that the city
is looking to use those funds to pay for at least two part-time officers. He
said the hiring process has already begun and will continue through next month.
City staff is expected to brief the council on its progress
on Sept. 22.
July 17, 2015
The
Tribune
By
Matt Fountain
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