Code Enforcement Planning Division

Mission

To improve, protect, and maintain a healthy, safe, and clean environment, and preserve the quality of life standards that residents and businesses enjoy in our community by gaining voluntary compliance through the education and enforcement of the City's codes.

About Code Enforcement

Multiple departments and divisions within the City have their own Code Enforcement teams, all who are committed to working with residents and businesses in a manner that is both professional and most effective. Code Enforcement works to improve the quality of life in the City of Santa Clara's neighborhoods through awareness, education and enforcement of the City's codes. Code Enforcement exists not to punish individual property owners, but to maintain the greater good of the community by achieving compliance with the City's adopted codes.

Services - What We Do

The Planning Division Code Enforcement team responds to concerns about possible code violations occurring on private property. We work with reported violations of a variety of codes and ordinances. The Planning Division Code Enforcement team commonly responds to your concerns about:

• Private property maintenance (overgrown vegetation, etc.)
• Indoor furniture outside (couch or sofa in the front yard)
• Makeshift tarps (canopies) in back, front, & side yards
• Carport/car canopy erected in the front yard
• Garbage - illegal dumping on private property
• Trash containers stored in front yard
• Cars parked on landscape areas
• Inoperable, wrecked or disabled vehicles on private property, regardless of registration status
• Home based business complaints
• Construction noise (Weekdays and Saturdays before 7 am or after 6 pm; Sundays or Holidays)
• Illegal signage (inflatables, sail flags, A-Frames, etc.)

Code Enforcement Procedure

In many cases, the individual responsible for the code violation is given the opportunity to voluntarily correct the situation and comply with current codes without a penalty. If the correction is not made, then the individual may be subject to fines and other penalties. Fines vary per type of violation and are set forth by the City Council in the Administrative Penalty Schedule (Resolution No. 16-8325). The typical process for the enforcement of codes is as follows:

• Step 1: A City staff member will ascertain if a code violation exists.

• Step 2: City staff will request remediation of the code violation, by leaving a door tag with the violation identified, or an in person verbal request, or a mailed letter with the violation identified. All of the aforementioned notification methods are official requests.

• Step 3: If the violation has not been re-mediated within the given timeline, an administrative citation or fine will be issued.

How to appeal an Administrative Citation

Any person disputing an administrative citation may contest the citation by completing a "Request for Hearing Form" and filing the form within thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of the citation at the City Clerk's Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050.

Appeal forms may be obtained:

• Online
• By calling (408) 615-2220 and asking that a "Request for Hearing Form" be sent to you, or
• In person at the City Clerk's Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050.

If applicable, any person may also submit a Request for Financial Hardship Waiver Form.

Additional Resources 

As there are many types of codes, code enforcement is a responsibility shared by staff of several departments in the City of Santa Clara. The following provides information about what other City departments take action on and how to contact those departments.