Sonoma County officials are weighing a major shift to code enforcement that would move the division away from its controversial “fines-and-fees” funding model.
The Press Democrat reports during recent budget workshops, Permit Sonoma proposed a $2.2 million general fund request to refocus the department on community service rather than punitive penalties. The overhaul follows intense scrutiny, including an ACLU lawsuit over drone surveillance and complaints of aggressive enforcement.
Proponents argue the change would remove the financial incentive to hit property owners with high fines, focusing instead on proactive compliance. However, with the county facing a tight budget year and competing funding requests, supervisors admit the timing for the multi-million dollar transition is challenging.
Final hearings to decide the fate of the proposal are scheduled for June.
