Permit Sonoma Honored with Innovative Code Enforcement Award

The California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO) announced that they will be awarding their 2019 Innovative Program Award to Permit Sonoma’s Code Enforcement Division. This award recognizes code enforcement programs that are both innovative and effective.

“Our community is kept safe thanks to our building and land use codes and regulations,” said Board of Supervisors Chair David Rabbitt. “This award recognizes the county’s innovation in doing this important code enforcement work.”

The County’s award nomination highlighted Permit Sonoma’s role in enforcing the new cannabis land use regulations. Specific strengths that led to this award include:

• Quality – the County’s enforcement practices result in high-quality investigations and almost immediate abatements.
• Efficiency – the County’s notification process allows violations to be written and posted while in the field without requiring multiple trips for noticing. 
• Cost effectiveness – the program’s process improvements have resulted in savings in clerical and inspector staff time.
• Creativity – Permit Sonoma uses technology to shift code enforcement’s documentation -- including photos, notes, research, aerial imagery, permit histories – to a paperless format. Documentation can now all be completed remotely.
• Timeliness – The Code Enforcement division has evolved and remained current with the changing regulatory landscape.
• Replication – the County’s noticing practices and use of in-the-field technology are readily available for other jurisdictions to replicate.

To learn more about the County’s Code Enforcement program, visit: sonomacounty.ca.gov/PermitSonoma/CodeEnforcement