Fairfield Municipal Code Art. I In General

§ 27.1. through § 27.100. Reserved for future legislation.

This chapter shall be known as the "Nuisance Code", may be cited as such, and will be referred to herein as "this code".

The city council finds, determines and declares as follows:

(a) The existence of property in a condition constituting a nuisance as defined below is injurious and contrary to the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of this city and contributes substantially and increasingly to the problems of and the necessity for excessive and disproportionate expenditures for protection against hazards and reduction of property values, prevention of crime, and the preservation of the public health and safety and the maintaining of adequate police, fire and accident protection. Such problems are becoming increasingly direct and substantial in significance and effect.

(b) The existence of public nuisances of the type designated, and the abatement of them, is reasonably related to the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public, and the exercise of that power by this city is authorized by the constitution of the state of California and applicable laws.

(c) Unless corrective measures are continued to be undertaken to alleviate such conditions, the public health, safety and general welfare and the property values of this community will be substantially depreciated. The abatement of such conditions will improve the quality of life of City residents, enhance the appearance and value of such properties and will improve the tax base of the city.

(d) Provisions of this code are to be supplementary and complementary to all of the provisions of the city code, state law and any law cognizable at common law or in equity, and nothing herein shall be read, interpreted or construed in any manner so as to limit any existing right or power of the city to abate any and all nuisances.

(e) Providing and maintaining safe, sanitary and habitable affordable housing in the City of Fairfield is an important community goal. It is not the intent of this community preservation ordinance to interfere with the goal of maintaining an adequate affordable housing supply.

The following is the City Council’s direction for enforcing this chapter:

(1) The purpose of enforcing this chapter is to gain compliance with the community standards which are set forth in this chapter. Punishing the people who violate the ordinance is not the purpose of enforcing this ordinance.

(2) The purpose of enforcing this ordinance is to encourage people to maintain their property in a safe and sanitary manner and in a manner which respects the property rights of their neighbors. Imposing unfair financial burdens on people who violate the ordinance is not the purpose of enforcing the ordinance.

(3) A nuisance is a condition of property which violates the community standards which are set forth in the ordinance. A condition of property which is displeasing to a neighborhood or to a group of neighbors is not a nuisance simply because it is displeasing.

(4) Maintaining decent, safe and sanitary affordable housing is an important community goal which at all times must be balanced against the goals of this community preservation ordinance.

The provisions of this code shall apply generally to all residential, industrial and commercial property throughout the city wherein any of the conditions, hereinafter specified, are found to exist.

§ 27.105. through § 27.200. Reserved for future legislation.