Monterey’s Building Codes Department beginning code enforcement to ensure residential and commercial properties meet safety and maintenance standards.
Building Inspector Randy Randolph said while the town codes have always existed, they have not been actively enforced for several years. Despite this, Randolph said his experience with the response from local residents has been surprisingly positive.
“It’s necessary to make sure that, you know, the safety of the citizens are looked after, that they make sure, you know, buildings are built correctly to the codes that make sure that the buildings are safe to inhabit,” Randolph said.
Randolph said the enforcement process is supported by new software designed to streamline building permits and inspections. Randolph said the system allows citizens to purchase necessary permits and request inspections in a timely manner to ensure work is checked at the proper stages of construction.
“You never know who the next person that might be using that building, you know, they may be getting something that’s unsafe,” Randolph said. “So we want to make sure that, you know, in the future, the citizens of Monterey are kept safe.”
Randolph said the most frequent violations he encounters involve property maintenance rather than structural building issues. Randolph said common infractions include yards with grass exceeding 10 inches, the accumulation of trash or rubbish and dilapidated buildings that require repair or demolition.
“Well, I mean, there’s definitely some areas that need to be worked on,” Randolph said. “You know, some things are, people don’t have the resources to take care of it. So we’re trying to make sure if we can find ways to help people in that.”
Randolph said many residents have responded positively to the enforcement efforts, though some situations involving disputes between neighbors can be more difficult to resolve. Randolph said the town is looking into grants to assist residents who may lack the resources to address certain property maintenance issues.
“I get a lot of questions,” Randolph said. “People did not know that that was something that was in the charter or in the, you know, that Monterey had codes. But most of the time, most of the citizens that I’ve talked to have been cooperative and willing to work with us and make sure we maintain the appearance we want to keep in the town.”
Randolph said the department plans to prioritize addressing major offenders before moving on to smaller violations. Randolph said the strategy involves improving the appearance of the town starting from the street view and working inward.
“A lot of people just don’t know about it,” Randolph said. “So if we can find ways to send messages out that the people know, ‘Hey, these are what’s expected,’ and I think a lot of people are going to go along with them and work with it.”
Randolph began his role after the position had remained vacant following the departure of the previous inspector.
