Minutes of the Work Session of August 17, 2023

Meeting Minutes 
City Council Work Session 
 
August 17, 2023 | 4:30 p.m. 
Council Chambers Conference Room 
88 E. Chicago St., Chandler, AZ 
 
 
Call to Order 
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kevin Hartke at 4:30 p.m. 
 
Roll Call 
Council Attendance 
 
 
 
 
Appointee Attendance 
Mayor Kevin Hartke  
 
 
 
 
Josh Wright, City Manager 
Vice Mayor Matt Orlando  
 
 
 
Kelly Schwab, City Attorney  
Councilmember OD Harris  
 
 
 
Dana DeLong, City Clerk 
Councilmember Mark Stewart 
 
 
 
  
Councilmember Christine Ellis 
  
 
 
Councilmember Jane Poston 
 
 
 
 
Councilmember Angel Encinas 
 
Staff in Attendance 
 
Tadd Wille, Assistant City Manager 
Leah Powell, Neighborhood Resources Director 
Guy Jacques, Neighborhood Preservation Senior Manager 
Erica Barba, Management Analyst Senior 
Priscilla Quintana, Neighborhood Preservation Program Manager 
Phillip Hubbard, Neighborhood Services Program Manager  
 
Discussion 
1. 
Presentation and Discussion Regarding City of Chandler’s Neighborhood Preservation and 
Code Enforcement Standards, Procedures, and Programs 
 
MAYOR HARTKE called for a staff presentation.

Page 2 of 11 
 
JOSHUA WRIGHT, City Manager, introduced the discussion item and said this will be an educational 
presentation on Code Enforcement data and how we make data-driven decisions to invest in our 
neighborhoods.  
 
LEAH POWELL, Neighborhood Resources Director, presented the following presentation. 
• Neighborhood Preservation and Code Enforcement 
• Agenda 
o Department and Neighborhood Preservation Overview 
o Mission 
o Past Practices 
o Continuous Improvement / Recent Innovative Process Changes 
o Positive Trends 
o Education Efforts 
o Forthcoming Changes 
o Building Blocks 
• City Council Strategic Framework Focus 
o To sustain an exceptional quality of life for Chandler residents, preservation and 
enhancement of neighborhoods is paramount. 
o Unique and vibrant communities with: 
 A holistic neighborhood improvement approach that connects City 
departments, non-profits, businesses, faith agencies and residents. 
 Partnerships with community leaders, homeowner associations and residents 
to promote reinvestment in the viability of neighborhoods 
 
GUY JACQUES, Neighborhood Preservation Senior Manager, continued the presentation.  
• Neighborhood Preservation 
• Neighborhood Preservation Division Overview 
o Code Enforcement 
 Residential 
 Commercial 
 Graffiti Elimination Team 
 CDBG Code Inspector 
 Alley Maintenance Program 
o Neighborhood Programs 
 Tools on the Go 
 Let’s Pull Together 
 Golden Neighbors 
o Education 
 HOA Academy 
 Good Neighbor 101

Page 3 of 11 
 
COUNCILMEMBER ENCINAS asked about any statistics for the Neighborhood Programs 
mentioned. 
 
PRISCILLA QUINTANA, Neighborhood Preservation Program Manager said that requests are saved 
as data.  
 
MR. JACQUES continued the presentation. 
• Code Enforcement Mission 
o To improve the quality of life in the City of Chandler and promote the public health, 
safety and welfare of the community by protecting neighborhoods and property 
values from blight, decline, and deterioration.  
o Innovation 
o Collaboration 
o Education 
o Programs 
• Pre-2021 Code Enforcement Practices and Capabilities 
o Hand-written notices 
o Outdated property maintenance code 
o No standardized operating procedures 
 Field inspections 
 Civil citations 
 Abatements 
o Inefficient case management system 
 Accela – not originally designed for Code Enforcement when it was first 
acquired in 2009 
 Versatility and connectivity problems in the field 
o Limited abilities to serve civil citations 
• Improved Reporting 
 
o GOGov 
o Highly efficient, web-based case management system 
o Designed specifically for Code Enforcement activities 
o Customizable violation notices are more descriptive and include photos of violations 
o Read-only access for other department staff to provide better customer service 
o Improved data reporting for effective use of staff and resources 
o iPad Accessibility and new mobile printers in the field began in 2021 
 
COUNCILMEMBER ENCINAS said that the mobile printers are a great use of technology and asked 
what improvements have been made to the system.  
 
MR. JACQUES mentioned that technology improvements would be covered later in the 
presentation.

Page 4 of 11 
 
PHILLIP HUBBARD, Neighborhood Services Program Manager, continued the presentation.  
• Previous Inspector Area Assignments 
o Inspector territories not determined through data collection 
 
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked if the purple area in South Chandler being assigned to the lead 
inspector role was because there are a lot of homeowners’ associations in the area.  
 
MR. HUBBARD answered that that was part of it, also newer developments. 
 
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked if there are neighbors helping each other or are there more calls.  
 
MR. HUBBARD said that neighbors helping is not unique. There are less code violations that code 
inspectors are referred to.  
 
MR. HUBBARD continued the presentation.  
• Data Driven Decisions 
o Citizen-initiated cases per grid square FY 22/23 
• Current Inspector Area Assignments 
o Inspector territories adjusted to improve response time and overall efficiency 
• Approved Decision Package 
o Successful acquisition of new downtown/business district inspector 
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked about how the 50% proactive performance metric was developed. 
 
MR. JACQUES said that the performance goals Is 50% minimum proactivity on the inspector set by 
previous managers.  
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked how the proactivity measure is calculated. 
 
MR. HUBBARD said the numbers on the slide were reactive, not representing inspectors’ own 
cases. Performance goals will be covered in a later slide.  
 
MS. POWELL added that cases are separate than number of inspections performed.  
 
MAYOR HARTKE asked if these are separate cases or activities. 
 
MR. HUBBARD said the map depicts cases only. 
 
MR. HUBBARD continued the presentation.  
• Enhanced Automation 
o Automated notices with mobile printing capabilities 
• Performance Goals and Measurement

Page 5 of 11 
 
o Implemented individual and team performance goals 
 Initial response within 2 days 
 50%+ Proactive inspections 
 Case cycle time < 30 days 
 Minimum case average – 50 cases (newly implemented) 
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked about the performance goal of closing a case within 30 days.  
 
MR. HUBBARD answered that the goal is to have the issue abated within 30 days.  
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked about an inspectors’ 360 inspection. 
 
MR. HUBBARD said that inspectors inspect areas like alleys and neighbors, while also managing 
their current case load. The goal is to be equitable through assigned territories. 
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked if inspectors could reinspect other territories’ areas for 
enforcement.  
 
MR. HUBBARD said inspectors have an assigned territory and a day off in their four day a week 
schedule. Leads would do initial inspections to keep on schedule but not re-inspections if 
someone were out.  
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked about the process of inspections and follow up. 
 
MR. JACQUES said that the process is once a violation exists on a property, we attempt contact to 
communicate to the resident. If they cannot be contacted, we issue a notice of violation letter. The 
notice allows 10 – 14 days to correct the violation. The inspection stays with the same inspector 
to maintain continuity. 
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked how the four-day work schedule works with the inspection timeline.  
 
MS. POWELL answered that the mindset towards documentation of the case is that the inspector 
does not know what cases may have to go to court. With scheduling, the Saturday scheduling was 
done as a pilot and was unsuccessful when running short-staffed. Staff will come in if needed on 
Saturday for temporary special events or projects. Typically, people resolve violation issues on 
weekends. There is also the consideration of how weekend activity is policed differently from 
weekdays and how that would affect the community. Historically, weekends have not been 
effective to work, but it could be revisited.  
 
MR. HUBBARD continued the presentation.  
• Statistics 
• Performance Trends

Page 6 of 11 
 
• Case Outcomes 
 
MAYOR HARTKE said that the cases that are hard to pursue are where we get stuck, code 
inspectors do all they can do, what other resources can we pursue to solve these cases.  
 
MR. JACQUES said that there must be a responsible party to pursue.  
 
MS. POWELL added that things get held up by court.  
 
MR. JACQUES said that cases are not enforced.  
 
MAYOR HARTKE asked what we can do within our purview.  
 
MR. WRIGHT said he will follow up with some ideas.  
 
MR. JACQUES continued the presentation.  
• 2021 Procedure and Code Changes 
o Code Changes: 
 30-17(A): Work performed without a permit 
 30-17(J): Premise identification 
 30-19(G): vehicle parking on unimproved surfaces 
 30-20(C): stagnant water 
 30-20(I): prohibits illegal dumping or accumulations of animal waste – bi-
weekly minimum removal 
 Designates Neighborhood Resources Department as administrator 
o Administrative Procedure Changes 
 Neighborhood 
Preservation 
Senior 
Manager 
responsible 
for 
Code 
interpretation and implementation 
 Eliminated administrative hearings for abatements and streamlined process 
• 62 days start to finish (Previously 100+ days) 
 Established procedures for serving citations 
• Hand delivery (3 attempts) 
• Mail regular & certified 
o If unsuccessful, posted on the property 
• Escalating penalty scale, $250 first violation, $500 second violation, $750 
third violation within 24-month period 
 
COUNCILMEMBER STEWART asked if the criminal charges in response to chapter 35 violations are 
state statute or city ordinance. 
 
MR. JACQUES answered that it is city ordinance.

Page 7 of 11 
 
COUNCILMEMBER STEWART said we are linked to pursuing it civilly.  
 
MR. JACQUES added that these codes in land use and zoning ordinance were incorporated into 
the property maintenance code.  
 
MR. JACQUES continued the presentation.  
• Education 
o Updated Chapter 30 
 Effective January 2021 
o Coordinated Neighborhood Outreach 
 Good Neighbor 101 (4 per year) 
 G.A.I.N. Event 
 Safety Fair 
 Envision Events (6 in FY 22/23) 
 Sun Groves Annual Spring Fling 
 Social Media Posts 
• Collaboration 
• Forthcoming Changes 
o Technology 
 Building Blocks – advanced map-based data collection software 
 Enhanced analytic data collection 
 Acquire new 5G iPads and compatible vehicle printers to improve efficiency 
and productivity 
 Yodeck – Cloud based digital signage platform for the purpose of displaying 
pertinent code case information on a monitor for internal staff 
o Staffing 
 Downtown/business district Code Enforcement Inspector (residential and 
commercial) 
o Enforcement 
 Short Term Rental Ordinance effective August 1, 2023 
o Property Maintenance Code Amendments 
 Lighting 
 Vehicles obstructing the right-of-way 
• Vehicle Obstructing Right-of-Way 
 
COUNCILMEMBER ENCINAS supported the new changes mentioned and requested a direction 
towards older traditional neighborhoods to support increased property values and reducing blight 
and deterioration. He asked how they could support continued focus on caring for traditional 
neighborhoods.

Page 8 of 11 
 
MS. POWELL said a piece of that is the data collected. This is a balancing act between proactive 
and reactive. We are cognizant of impact on low- and moderate-income homeowners, such as in 
neighborhoods with alleyways. We try to keep responses quick and equitable to all situations.  
 
ERICA BARBA, Management Analyst Senior, continued the presentation.  
• Building Blocks 
o Advanced Mapping and Analytics Based Application that connects data held in 
different systems and formats across City Departments, State and Federal agencies.  
• Summary of Benefits 
o Allows for multifaceted approach to address needs from the physical, safety, and 
community perspectives 
o Identify distribution of resources and City services 
o Identify areas with greatest need 
o Predictive capabilities 
• Data Sources 
o Maricopa County Assessor 
o United States Postal Service 
o Geographic Information System (GIS) 
o 2020 Decennial Census Block Data 
o American Community Survey 
o US Census Bureau 
o Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) 
o Lexis Nexis (Police Calls for Service) 
o City of Chandler 
 Lucity 
 Accela 
 GoGov 
 Parks and Recreation Data 
 Active Board and Commission Membership 
o Future Sources 
 Fire Calls for Service 
 Terros Health Data 
 Court Data 
 Utilities 
o Targeted Analysis 
 Code Enforcement 
• Violations 
• Graffiti 
• Case Counts 
• Illegal Dumping 
 Neighborhoods 
• HOAs

Page 9 of 11 
 
• Registered Communities 
• Aging Neighborhoods 
• Programs 
o For Our City eligibility 
o Golden Neighbors 
o Equity 
o Envision 
• Homelessness Management 
o Encampment Reporting 
• Property  
o Rental 
o Evictions 
o Building Permits 
• Filters and Overlays 
• Suspected Rentals 
 
MS. POWELL continued the presentation.  
• Envision Report 
o Neighborhoods 
 Amberwood South 
 Galveston 
 South Historic Chandler 
• Scoring 
o Weighted numbering system to leverage data across departments to identify overall 
distribution of City resources. 
• Library and Recreation Visits 
• Citywide Outreach Pilot Program 
o Decision Package for Multi-departmental Pilot focusing on two neighborhoods/area 
and serves as a precursor to the Envision Program 
o Pilot Components 
 Outreach 
 Mini events 
 Weekly Recreation Activities 
 Open Gym 
 City Resources 
• Pueblo Viejo Satellite View 
• Pueblo Viejo Neighborhood Scoring 
• Pueblo Middle School – West Chandler 
• Pueblo Middle School – West Chandler Scoring  
• Next Steps 
o Neighborhood Outreach

Page 10 of 11 
 
 Additional community needs assessments in Pueblo Viejo; Glenview Estates, 
and Twelve Oaks Neighborhoods 
 Partnerships with San Marcos Elementary (Pueblo Viejo) and Pueblo Middle 
School (Glenview Estates and Twelve Oaks) 
o Downtown Area Code Enforcement 
 Implement the downtown/business district code enforcement program with 
new Commercial/Residential Code Inspector 
o Code Changes / Additions to Property Maintenance Ordinance 
 Add proposed lighting code – “No person shall cause, allow, or permit any 
exterior lighting rays to be directed off the property upon which the lighting is 
located on any abutting or adjacent public or private property” 
 Amend code dealing with right-of-way obstructions to include “vehicles 
obstructing sidewalks” 
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked how aggressive we need to be with code enforcement to stop these 
problems.  
 
MAYOR HARTKE asked to hear more examples of ways we can add programs to help 
neighborhoods. Enforcement is important, we need to consider how to give direction.  
 
VICE MAYOR ORLANDO asked to clarify how aggressive we need to be with the code enforcement 
philosophy.  
 
MAYOR HARTKE requested staff for further information.  
 
COUNCILMEMBER STEWART asked to see further investment in these programs and results of 
currently implemented programs like bulk pickups.  
 
MS. POWELL said that data is being collected on things like illegal dumping and bulk pickups.  
 
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said there is a small minority of code violations in the whole of Chandler. 
We must look at our community and see what we can do to help.  
 
COUNCILMEMBER ENCINAS said we need to work jointly to resolve this issue.   
 
Adjourn 
The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m. 
 
 
ATTEST:  _______________________  
______________________________ 
                       City Clerk                                                   Mayor

Page 11 of 11 
 
 
 
Approval Date of Minutes:  September 18, 2023 
 
 
Certification 
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Work 
Session of the City Council of Chandler, Arizona, held on the 17th day of August 2023.  I further 
certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. 
 
DATED this _______ day of September, 2023. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__________________________ 
                                                         
           City Clerk