Code Compliance Unit

About Us

The Code Compliance Unit was created to address community concerns regarding property clean up and code enforcement. The Code Compliance unit addresses and investigates concerns regarding housing/building code violations, weed abatement, vehicle abandonment, and other community wellness issues.

Additional Information

The Code Compliance Unit assists the Building and Planning Divisions and Fire Department with addressing and investigating municipal code violations, such as housing/building code violations, as well as coordinating the annual weed abatement program working closely with Fire. The Code Compliance Unit will also be responsible to take lead on abandoned vehicle abatement and other nuisance abatement issues. The Winters City Council adopted Resolution 2022-04 which added Sections 8.24.130-8.24.150 to Chapter 8.24 of Title 8 of the Winters Municipal Code relating to Social Host liability and administrative citations for the use of illegal fireworks. The Firework Social Host Ordinance includes up to a $1000 fine for the discharge of illegal fireworks.

Fines

While the primary goal of the Code Compliance Unit is to gain voluntary compliance regarding code complaints through an education-based approach, unabated violations may be subject to fines. Fines regarding code compliance are established in California Government Code § 36900 (Full text available HERE) and was adopted by the Winters City Council on January 17, 2023.