The Madera City Council has adopted City codes (laws) specifically designed to ensure the absence of blight, nuisances, and to maintain a clean environment for all citizens in our community. The mission of the Code Enforcement Department is to promote and maintain a desirable working environment by:
Administering a fair and unbiased enforcement program to correct violations of municipal codes and land use requirements.
Working with residents, public service agencies, and other City departments to:
a) Facilitate voluntary compliance with City laws and codes;
b) Develop public outreach programs; and
c) Establish community priorities for enforcement programs.
Specific examples of code violations would include the following:
Substandard Buildings
Inoperable/Abandoned Vehicles
Illegal Dumping
Graffiti
Abandoned Shopping Carts
The code enforcement process is typically initiated in two (2) ways. These are:
In response to a complaint by an individual
Observation of a code violation by City staff
The City relies on residents to help identify possible code violations, particularly in the following areas:
Abandoned buildings
Graffiti on public or private property
Shopping carts on streets or sidewalks
Illegal dumping of garbage, tires or other debris
Abandoned or inoperable vehicles
Excessive weeds, trash or other debris on vacant lots or in alleys
Residential businesses causing traffic/noise problems
You may file a complaint about a possible code violation in person, in writing, by phone, or e-mail. Please be prepared with specific information, such as:
The address of the property;
Detailed description of the situation; and
The length of time you have observed the situation.
You do not have to identify yourself but having your name will assist us with follow-up, in case additional information is needed to resolve the situation.
City staff responds to code enforcement complaints according to the impact of the violation on the public health and safety. Situations that appear to pose a serious risk to health and safety are given top priority.
For all types of code complaints, the first step in the follow-up procedure is personal contact by Code Enforcement staff to see if a code violation exists and to request compliance. If the individual responsible is not available or appears unwilling to correct the violation in a timely manner, a citation may be issued. The City may also take court action if the situation poses a risk to the neighborhood or if the individual has ignored previous notices/citations.
In most cases, the individual responsible for the code violation is given the opportunity to voluntarily remedy the situation and comply with current codes without a penalty. If the correction is not made, then the individual is subject to fines and other penalties.
