Thomasson: My day with our TPV code enforcement officer

Paradise Valley Code Compliance Officer Tina Brindley (left) and Councilmember Anna Thomasson return a trash can after pick-up (Submitted photo)

When Town of Paradise Valley code enforcement officer Tina Brindley rolled up to my house Monday morning at 7:30 a.m., I jumped in the town seal-emblazoned white truck (with the hand crank windows!) toting an extra mug of black coffee for her.

Setting off on her morning rounds we checked on a construction site with illegal fencing and she made note of the contact information posted on-site and said she planned to call to let them know that promotional photographs are not allowed on construction fencing. It soon became apparent that she has relationships with most of the builders in town and their construction management staff.

Tina, as our code enforcement officer, is responsible for construction sites not yet being built (during demolition or preconstruction) while Chuck Ransom, her boss and our building official, is responsible for active construction sites.

We then cruised by a home undergoing a significant remodel with all the doors and windows removed, leaving the entire house and pool fully accessible to trespassers. Town Code requires the entrance be boarded up, so Tina made a note to contact the homeowner. Then we were off to see if some very overgrown foliage had been trimmed and a temporary sign outside a senior living home had been removed. All good on both counts.

As part of our “less government” town values, we do not spend resources driving around looking for code violations, but rather rely on resident complaints. Town staff works hard to help neighbors comply with the code, recognizing that many residents are often unaware they have a violation. We want compliance, we do not want to be punitive. If the code violation is a safety hazard requiring immediate attention, we call or email the resident. If not urgent, we send a letter offering up to 15 working days to comply.

Complaints tend to center around overgrown landscaping, bright night lighting and misplaced construction items. Tina and the whole Community Development department work together to help residents resolve the issue before forwarding the complaint for consideration of misdemeanor prosecution.

If Tina finds a resident needing special assistance, she contacts the police department to make sure the resident gets the right resources and short-term rental issues are handled by Kristi Hillebert, our short-term rental compliance officer. Tina invites residents to contact her with questions. “I don’t expect residents to dig through the Town Code to get the answer. They can just call me.”

Since Monday was trash day, she reminded me residents have 24 hours to roll their garbage cans back to the house, so we dutifully returned mine to the garage! You can reach Tina at 480-348-3551 or tbrindley@paradisevalleyaz.gov.