Consumer and Environmental Protection

Citizen code violation complaints are referred to the appropriate municipality, health department, fire authority, or County code enforcement officer who will confirm whether or not a violation exists, determine the severity of the condition, and initiate a case where appropriate.  In most cases where a violation is confirmed, the owner, person in possession or control, or other responsible party is notified of the violation and asked to take immediate corrective action.

The goal in almost every code enforcement case is voluntary compliance in the most timely and efficient manner possible.  After an initial violation notice is issued, code enforcement officers will re-inspect for compliance and, where violations remain uncorrected, may issue civil citations (fines), initiate abatement of the violation at the expense of the property owner, record liens and other documents against the property, refer the matter for civil litigation, and/or request the filing of criminal charges by the OCDA which could result in the imposition of fines and/or jail.

Code enforcement officials can explain the alleged violations, discuss resolution options, and work with you in obtaining necessary permits and scheduling compliance inspections.  Likewise, the OCDA usually seeks voluntary resolution wherever possible and initiates court proceedings only in the most serious cases or where timely compliance is not forthcoming.

In most cases, all you have to do is obtain necessary permits and correct the illegal condition and/or contact your assigned code enforcement officer to discuss resolution of your case.  Persons who do not respond to code enforcement notices may be subject to civil fines, legal actions, and/or referred to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.  If the District Attorney’s Office is unable to resolve matters and decides to proceed with a criminal case, criminal charges may be filed on the property owner, manager, tenant, or other “responsible party.”