Media Advisory: Bureau of Development Services Level of Service Update: Enforcement /Complaint Operational Changes and Priorities

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Media Advisory: Bureau of Development Services Level of Service Update: Enforcement /Complaint Operational Changes and Priorities - Printable Version - October 21, 2009 - 3 Comments

City of Portland, Bureau of Development Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 21, 2009

Contact: Ross Caron, Bureau of Development Services 503.823.4268

(Portland, OR) In order to maintain the highest possible service level with limited resources, the Compliance Services Section and the Neighborhood Inspections Section have combined to maximize available resources in order to respond to as many complaints as possible. The newly combined Neighborhood Inspections & Compliance Services Section will operate Zoning, Noise, Work without Permit, Dangerous Buildings, Signs & A-Boards, Nuisance, Housing, Derelict Buildings, Exterior Maintenance Requirements on non-Residential Structures and Chapter 13/Systematic Inspection enforcement programs.

Due to the high reduction in enforcement inspection staff, it is also necessary to prioritize the various types of complaint investigation and enforcement cases. This will allow the workgroup to focus on the most critical violations relative to fire, life safety, health, sanitation, environmental and neighborhood livability.

“I understand the importance of our enforcement programs, which provide safety and livability services for our neighborhoods and commercial business,” said Paul Scarlett, Bureau Director, “and we will do our very best to continue addressing as many code complaints with the resources available at this time.”

A detailed list of enforcement / complaint operational changes and priorities is available at http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=51292&a=268401. The following is a brief summary of the most significant changes to enforcement programs during this interim time:

Elimination of live phone coverage for the BDS Enforcement Hotline (503-823-CODE) for reporting complaints.
Elimination of Nuisance Abatements, except for the most severe Fire/Life/Safety and Health/Sanitation cases.
Suspension of investigations for disabled vehicles on private property and zoning inspections for passenger vehicles and recreational vehicles.
Suspension of investigations and abatements for storage of Non-trash items and debris.
Increased timelines to investigate assigned cases.
Suspension of investigations and abatements for tall grass and weeds and overgrowth along property lines.

If you have questions about the Bureau’s enforcement program please visit the Bureau website or contact Mike Liefeld at (503) 823-7332.

Comments

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Posted by: Robert Easton - November 07, 2009 01:53 PM

My neighbor to the North at 3139 NE 33rd Ave is dumping water onto my property from a disconnected roof drain, intended I think to drain down his driveway, but drains to my property instead. My attempt to advise him (Michael McAfferty?)resulted in his cussing me out, etc. with words I cannot repeat here. He dumped water to my property some years ago and was cited by your dept (?). Can you do something about it, given the big storm we had today on November 7th.
Thank you, Robert Easton, 3137 NE 33rd Ave, 503-281-0346.

Posted by: C. Rockney - November 13, 2009 04:50 PM

We own an attached row house at 5916 SE 47th Avenue. A bar, Pizza Roma Coliseum, has built a covered smoking structure three feet from our daughter's bedroom window and five feet from our downstairs den, attaching it to our fence. The smell and noise prohibit us from opening our windows or enjoying our property. Doesn't the City of Portland have set back requirements for detached accessory structures? Why would this be allowed? The purpose of the standard for Detached Accessory Structures is to "Maintain separation and privacy to abutting residential lots from nonresidential development." This certainly is not the case. Please advise. Thanks.

Posted by: Michael Liefeld - November 16, 2009 08:19 AM

Dear C. Rockney,

Thank you for contacting BDS. This appears to be an issue that BDS can investigate for compliance with building and zoning regulations. We will need additional information to setup a case and begin an investigation. Please visit our online reporting violations page, link attached, which will prompt you for the minimum information we need to investigate. Thank you.

http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=42240

Mike Liefeld
Bureau of Development Services

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