Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Strategic Plan Goal #5: Enhance Quality of Life and Beautification Throughout the City.
Strategic Plan Objective: Update to the City Council on the Code Enforcement Process, including Metrics, and Geolocation Data on Proactive Measures.
End
From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Steven A. Mendoza, Interim Community Development Director; Sergio Verino, Interim Code Enforcement Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Receive and file the report.
end
BACKGROUND
On April 28, 2025, the City Council held a strategic planning workshop to develop the City’s second three-year strategic plan and identify priorities in the City. These include the following goals:
• Goal #1: Achieve Financial Stability
• Goal #2: Implement and Support Effective Land Use Policy that Encourages Quality Development
• Goal # 3: Attract, Develop, and Retain Well Qualified Staff Members
• Goal # 4: Improve Customer Service to the Community
• Goal # 5: Enhance Quality of Life and Beautification Throughout the City
The Code Enforcement Division’s primary role in advancing Goal #5 is to enhance quality of life and beautification by educating property owners on Westminster Municipal Code provisions, zoning, building, and health and safety regulations adopted by the City Council.
In November 2024, the Code Enforcement Division transitioned from the Westminster Police Department to the Community Development Department. It is currently staffed with six full-time officers and a part-time temporary administrative staff. In February 2025, Sergio Verino was appointed Interim Code Enforcement Manager to oversee the Division. An organization chart of the Code Enforcement Division is illustrated in Attachment 1.
Over the past several months, the Division has shifted from a reactive, complaint-driven model toward a proactive, data-informed approach. This strategy focuses on using resources more equitably and effectively to address citywide health and safety priorities, rather than responding solely to individual complaints. Key elements include:
• Integrating real property and case data.
• Developing/tracking performance metrics through EnerGov.
• Utilizing GIS technology.
• Establishing policies and procedures along with new enforcement tools.
• Strengthening community relationships.
The following sections provide an overview of the new policies and procedures for Code Enforcement staff and the newly adopted analysis driven approach that the City has implemented to enhance the quality of life for all residents through the code enforcement process.
Performance Metrics
The Code Enforcement Division uses EnerGov to log complaints, issue and store notices of violation and citations, and maintain a complete chronological history of each case. To improve efficiency, staff collaborated with web consultants to enhance the system and develop tailored reports. These reports provide key performance data including, but not limited to, the number of assigned and proactive cases, notices of violation issued, cases closed, and average case duration. These reports allow staff to measure workload and overall effectiveness. In addition, the reports help Code Enforcement Officers more effectively manage their caseloads and track progress. Lastly, the Code Enforcement Division also tracks complaints received through phone calls, walk-in counter interactions, and the City’s Mobile App (My Westminster Mobile App).
The Code Enforcement Division completed the following in Fiscal Year 24/25:
|
Total assigned cases |
1,629 |
|
Proactive cases |
910 |
|
Notice of Violations |
1,076 |
|
Citation fines |
1,589 |
|
Closed cases |
1,183 |
Customer Phone Contacts:
|
Month |
Total Calls |
|
March |
206 |
|
April |
209 |
|
May |
343 |
|
June |
482 |
|
July |
582 |
|
August |
417 |
Proactive Approach
The Code Enforcement Division now conducts systematic routine inspection sweeps in both residential and commercial areas to identify violations and build positive relationships with property owners, business operators, and tenants. This shift has reduced reliance on complaint-only enforcement and allows staff to address highly visible issues that impact quality of life, appearance, and livability of the City. The Code Enforcement Division has generated 910 proactive cases in the Fiscal Year 24/25. A detailed code case summary is included in Attachment 2.
Along with proactive inspections, the Code Enforcement Team has resumed sidewalk vendor enforcement. For the month of July 2025, the Division paused operations due to a slowdown in illegal vending due to fear of Immigration and Custom Enforcement raids in the City. Since February 2025, the Code Enforcement Team has conducted 28 vendor enforcement operations which involve over 15 sites a night.
Examples of proactive cases in residential areas consist of the following: illegal storage, inoperable vehicles, dead or overgrown landscape, weatherproofing issues, trash cans visible from public view, etc.
Examples of proactive cases in commercial zones consist of the following: illegal banners, flags, landscape or property maintenance violation, etc.
Community Collaborations
The Code Enforcement Division is committed to building strong relationships with residents and business owners to achieve shared goals for community improvement. Educational and outreach programs are in development to help the community better understand code requirements and encourage voluntary compliance. On September 10, 2025, the Division hosted a Homeless Encampment Workshop, bringing together multiple city divisions and resource providers to assist attendees. Additional neighborhood workshops are planned to strengthen community trust, provide resources, and identify local priorities.
Provide Enforcement Tools
To better serve the community, the Code Enforcement Division implemented a Notice of Violation Warning process that allows Code Enforcement Officers to engage face-to-face with property owners in the field. This approach fosters dialogue, provides education on municipal code requirements, and encourages a more collaborative path to compliance.
Additionally, the Code Enforcement Division works closely with First American Title to promptly identify current property owners, ensuring there are no delays in notifying responsible parties of required corrections.
GIS data is being used to identify areas in the City and pin zones with most violations in the city to focus on proactive sweeps and encourage property owners to help beautify those areas. Geographical code enforcement case points are illustrated in Attachment 3.
Focus Team Approach
As of July 1, 2025 the Code Enforcement Division adopted a new model built around specialized teams that focus on specific types of violations. Previously, the Division was divided into four geographic areas, with each officer responsible for commercial, residential, and industrial complaints within their assigned area. Under the new structure, officers concentrate on a particular discipline to build expertise and improve efficiency.
The Code Enforcement Division currently consists of three officers on the Residential Response Team (RRT), two officers on the Commercial Enforcement Team (CET), and one officer on the Special Enforcement Team (SET). The SET focuses on complex issues such as homeless encampments, graffiti, and vacant lots while also providing education to affected property owners.
Establish Accountability and Transparency
The Code Enforcement Division has established clear policies and procedures designed to support employee success while ensuring accountability. These guidelines cover both field operations and administrative activities, promoting transparency and providing staff with consistent directions to achieve effective and equitable outcomes.
Policies that have been effective include Code Officers response time toward an assigned case (24-72 hours depending on severity of the violation), re-inspection timelines, and violation timelines to provide customers with appropriate timeframes to come into compliance.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
The primary objective of Code Enforcement is to protect and enhance the community’s quality of life by ensuring compliance with local ordinances that safeguard public health, safety, and general welfare. This work helps preserve property values, improve living conditions, prevent hazards, and eliminate blight by addressing violations of building, zoning, and related regulations. Looking ahead to FY 2025/26, Code Enforcement will continue to prioritize public health and safety, strengthen community quality of life, and promote voluntary compliance through education and outreach.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Code Enforcement Organization Chart
2. FY 24/25 Code Case Summary
3. Geographical Code Case Points
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager