New Penalties Sought for Code Violations

Violators of county zoning, building and grading codes would face stiff fines under a revised nuisance abatement ordinance Ventura County supervisors will consider today.

Resource Management Agency officials say the revised ordinance would put more pressure on recalcitrant landowners while generating an additional $100,000 annually for the county’s coffers.

Current county codes stress only voluntary compliance for residents in unincorporated areas to fix problems that are deemed nuisances by code enforcement officers. Absent that, the county’s only recourse is costly and time-consuming court action.

Under the revised ordinance, an administrative hearing officer would hear all nuisance cases. The Board of Supervisors previously heard the cases.

In addition to fines, landowners found in violation would have to abate nuisances on their property and repay the county for all code enforcement and administrative hearing costs.

The revised measure also allows the county to place liens on property similar to those faced by home and landowners who do not pay their property taxes.

If lien assessments are not repaid within five years, the property could be sold at a tax sale.

The hearing officer’s decision would be final and could be appealed only to the Ventura County Superior Court.

Officials say the only gap in the ordinance is a source of cash to abate serious health and safety problems when property owners are unwilling or unable to act. Agency officials say they are exploring funding options for the supervisors to consider sometime in the future.