Code Compliance

Code Compliance is here to work with the community to ensure that the intent of the City's Zoning, Building, and Nuisance Abatement Ordinances is consistently met. Our goal is to maintain a healthy, safe, and clean environment and preserve the quality of life that residents and businesses enjoy in our community. We work in partnership with citizens and business owners and emphasize education and voluntary compliance to keep the City clean, safe, and blight-free. Many subdivisions and planned communities are subject to private, recorded covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs). Neighbor disputes, such as property line fences or trees, are civil matters. The City does not enforce private CC&Rs or civil disputes. A good referral for more information on neighbor disputes is a book entitled "Neighbor Law" printed by Nolo Press.

Service Requests

Code Compliance staff accepts requests for service via the Reach Rohnert Park portal. 

Confidentiality

Our policy is to maintain the confidentiality of Code Compliance request files and computer records, including the identity of the complainant, to the extent legally possible.

Priorities

The City's policy is to achieve voluntary compliance with reported and discovered code violations. However, not all violations have the same degree of severity and the City has established priorities for enforcement. The intent is to allow the level of enforcement that best fits the type and circumstances of the code violation(s) within the clear and objective criteria. Examples of the Division's established priorities with estimated investigation times include:

• Violations that present an imminent threat to health and safety or the environment. (Immediately upon notification)
• Building code violations consisting of current non-permitted construction or failure to obtain permits for construction. (Within 10 business days)
• Land Use and Zoning violations (10 or more business days)
• Services requests that are incomplete, which do not include the requesting party's contact information or other crucial information, or repeat requests previously determined to be unfounded. (May not be investigated)
• Service requests determined to be racially motivated or otherwise motivated by a desire to discriminate against any protected class. (Will not be investigated)

Code Compliance Coordination with Other Regulatory / Licensing Agencies

In some cases, City code violations may also be violations of federal and/or state statutes or administrative rules. For example, performing building construction without necessary permits may constitute violations of state laws and administrative rules governing the conduct of licensed contractors. Code Compliance staff may notify other agencies of known violations.

Resolution of Code Requests

It is the City's policy to attempt to reach final, satisfactory resolutions of all code violation requests. However, the City recognizes that not all complaints may be resolved successfully, due to factors outside the City's control. Where the City determines that a code violation may not be successfully resolved within the established reasonable timelines, alternative methods of enforcement may be explored.

COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Code Compliance will determine on a case-by-case basis whether to conduct inspections within building interiors or where personal safety cannot be assured. In some cases, this may result in unavoidable delays in case resolution.