Score: +26 (26/2/0)
Mendocino County Grand Jury • 2010-2011

Are We Talking Yet? a Report on Miscommunication between County Departments

Published: February 08, 2011 4 pages
View Original PDF

Findings and Recommendations 25 findings

F1
The Assessor’s office is responsible for assessing property in Mendocino County for real estate tax purposes.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
The Assessor’s office has eight employees working on the inspection of properties for the purpose of establishing value for assessment.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office establish written procedures for deputies to accompany county employees on potentially dangerous inspections of property in the County. (Findings 2,5,13,16)
F3
The caseload for the appraisers is approximately 120 cases each at any given time. A total of approximately 800 to 1000 cases are resolved each year.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Planning and Building Services is responsible for issuing and insuring compliance with required permits for construction of all buildings, property improvements and septic systems in the County.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Planning and Building Services has six employees inspecting structures and improvements to comply with permit requirements. 1
No recommendations for this finding
F6
There are in excess of 1200 backlogged nuisance abatement cases in Planning and Building Services.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Planning and Building Services clear all backlogged nuisance abatement cases. (Finding 6)
F7
Currently the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and County Counsel meet on a regular basis to review Williamson Act contract renewals. Williamson Act contracts involve reductions to assessed tax due to agricultural use.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
All of the land that is privately owned in Mendocino County is assessed and on the tax rolls.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
The tax rolls are public information and available for public inspection during work hours when the Assessor’s office is open.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
There is no written procedure that provides for the notification of Planning and Building Services when a structure is found by the Assessor’s office or Sheriff’s Office that is not on the tax rolls.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
the Assessor’s office notify Planning and Building Services upon the assessment of a newly appraised building. (Findings 10-12)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F11
There is no written procedure calling for the Assessor’s office to notify Planning and Building Services when a new structure is appraised.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
the Assessor’s office notify Planning and Building Services upon the assessment of a newly appraised building. (Findings 10-12)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F12
The Assessor’s office does not inform Planning and Building Services when a new structure is assessed.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
the Assessor’s office notify Planning and Building Services upon the assessment of a newly appraised building. (Findings 10-12)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F13
The Assessor’s office does not inform the Sheriff’s Office when a new property is appraised. The Grand Jury was informed that this is to protect the safety of the Assessor employees.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F14
According to the Assessor, there are laws that prohibit directly informing other departments of County government when a new structure is appraised and added to the tax rolls.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F15
According to County Counsel, Revenue and Taxation Code §408.3 states that a “property characteristics information form” is subject to disclosure. The Assessor prepares a form that matches this description. This is the information that Planning and Building Services needs. A property characteristic form includes at least the following items: • year of construction of improvements, • square footage, • number of bedrooms, • number of dwellings.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F16
Planning and Building Services, the Assessor’s office, and the Sheriff’s Office do not meet to coordinate actions regarding newly found structures.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F17
Planning and Building Services must review assessed tax rolls on a regular basis to find newly assessed structures in order to determine if any required permits were not obtained.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F18
Planning and Building Services informs the Assessor’s office when an issued permit is inspected and the structure is determined as completed.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F19
The Sheriff’s Office purchased software licenses to be able to research the Assessor’s tax rolls in order to determine if a property being investigated is on the tax rolls.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F20
There is no written procedure for notification of the Assessor’s office when the Sheriff’s Office finds a structure that is not shown on the tax rolls. All contact is 2 left to the discretion of the Sheriff’s Deputies. The contact consists of a phone call and potentially a visit with the appraiser to the suspect property.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office meet on a regular basis, not less than quarterly, to discuss problems and concerns about unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
R3
the Assessor’s office, Planning and Building Services and Sheriff’s Office coordinate and establish written procedures to easily exchange information regarding unpermitted and unassessed properties. (Findings 10-20)
F21
There is a publically available complaint form that can be filed with Planning and Building Services. The Sheriff’s Office can use this form when an apparently unpermitted structure is found.
No recommendations for this finding
F22
Planning and Building Services provided an amnesty program for building permits that waived the investigative penalty fee, where the owners self-reported their failure to obtain the required permits. This amnesty program expired on December 31, 2010.
No recommendations for this finding
F23
As of January 1, 2011, new state mandated rules for buildings became effective. These rules will increase the cost of building a structure in California and will require additional inspections.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
the Board of Supervisors designate Planning and Building Services’ code enforcement operations as an Enterprise department and increase staffing, realizing increased staffing will be offset by increased revenues from the code enforcement process. (Findings 23-25) 3
F24
Planning and Building Services is not considered an enterprise department.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
the Board of Supervisors designate Planning and Building Services’ code enforcement operations as an Enterprise department and increase staffing, realizing increased staffing will be offset by increased revenues from the code enforcement process. (Findings 23-25) 3
F25
Planning and Building Services could generate enough in fees from code enforcement for that operation to become an enterprise department if staffing was increased.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
the Board of Supervisors designate Planning and Building Services’ code enforcement operations as an Enterprise department and increase staffing, realizing increased staffing will be offset by increased revenues from the code enforcement process. (Findings 23-25) 3

Agency Responses 6

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

No Responses Found 2

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