The move from law enforcement to city code enforcement was supposed to be an easy one. Simple ordinances, less negative confrontation, more resources and a lower expectation of overnight case closures were the claim. Well, sometimes, ordinances can be anything but easy to understand, pushback occurs very often – sometimes from all sides, and so many complaints carry an urgency that makes you think someone may be about to jump if you do not respond immediately!
I have come to appreciate the difficulty in constructing codes that fit all situations. The challenge, as I understand things, is that we all have our individualized perspective. When someone is finally tired of the garbage cans next door being out all week, or the sidewalk never being shoveled, or the banners around town making “Flag look like a circus;” they wish for immediate results.
We have a terrific town with residents who care deeply for our collective good, from their perspective. There is that word again! The abandoned car in the backyard of the guy across the street may seem far more important than the business’s parking lot lights left on after closing, unless you are a champion for the lighting ordinances. The out of compliance temporary sign in front of a business is obviously more time sensitive than the waste oil spill behind a restaurant, unless you care about water runoff.
Balancing the numbers, types of complaints, resources and administrative direction is the “meat” of the job. You see where this is going: It is all perspective. A recent encounter with a business owner went something like this: “Sir, you have graffiti on the back fence of your property and our Graffiti Buster volunteers will be in the area on Wednesday. Would you like them to cover the damage?”
“No,” was the quick reply. “If I leave it there, the homeless know I am supportive of them.”
I remarked that Flagstaff has an ordinance that requires businesses to cover graffiti damage in five days in order to discourage subsequent tagging and something about homelessness not being directly related to graffiti. His response was direct, and detailed how my vertical position was about to become horizontal! Perspective?
We have a team of three code compliance staffers who are responsible for several areas of city ordinances. So far, in 2015, we have logged more than 200 cases as a direct result of complaints. Most are handled readily by informing the violator(s) of the code and asking their help by voluntary compliance. Priorities include health and safety, enforcing codes uniformly and doing the best we can with what we have for resources. Volunteers help with programs like Adopt-an-Avenue and Graffiti Busters to stretch our staffing.
Again, we feel fortunate to be in a community where the common good is important. But maybe that is just our perspective! FBN
By Tom Boughner
Tom Boughner retired as a sergeant from the Flagstaff Police Department six years ago. He is now the code compliance manager for the City of Flagstaff. He and his family have been in Flagstaff for more than 30 years.