Residents divided over code enforcement

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- While the city’s code enforcement officials have been

working vigorously to address a boom of complaints about property

maintenance violations, some residents say the enforcement has been dealt

unevenly.

“I got a violation notice for one thing and, even though I had fixed

those problems, [a] code enforcement officer . . . gave me a citation for

something else,” Joe Grisham said. “That’s just not fair. The code

enforcement officers are getting into really nit-picky things like the

size of the numbers on our houses while ignoring the really grievous

violations out there.”

Grisham is one of a number of Mesa Del Mar residents who say they feel

bullied by new property maintenance codes and their enforcement.

City staff said the city is not required to issue warnings before

filing citations.

Code enforcement officer Mitt Seely explained that because the codes

are new and because there aren’t enough officers, the Code Enforcement

Department has not yet been able to address problems at every home but

does address complaints first.

The new property maintenance codes went into effect in August, and

supporters and opponents of the code revisions have spoken strongly about

the new rules since a brochure explaining them was distributed in

September.

Cindy Ronquillo, a Freedom Homes resident, said she thinks the results

so far have been fantastic.

“I’ve seen the neighborhood constantly improving, and I think it adds

to the feeling of pride,” she said. “And hopefully, the enhanced pride

will get more people to improve their properties. I’m always happy to see

our neighborhood going in a positive direction, which I think this is

doing.”

Mary Fewel, a Canyon Park resident, agreed that the enforcement of the

“little things” in the codes have made a difference in her neighborhood.

“Some of my neighbors who have had dead grass for months have just put

in sprinklers,” she said. “People are starting to do all the little

things that other people do notice every day. Often you drive up to your

home, go inside and don’t pay attention to those things. But now people

are seeing they do need to do something and that it does make a

difference.”

But Wayne Anderson, a Mesa Del Mar resident who received a violation

notice for having a trailer partly on his front lawn, said he resented

being denied a request for a few days to move the trailer.

“I was trying to replace the wood in the bed and only needed a few

days, but [a code enforcement officer] said I would be fined if I didn’t

move the trailer immediately,” he said. “There was no compromising with

the man. We’re not talking about murder here, we’re talking about a

trailer with two wheels on my lawn for a few days. Anybody should have

reasonable time to fix things. I have no quarrel with what he did, which

was legitimate. But I very much resent the arrogant attitude he did it

with.”