The City of Bellingham Code Enforcement Officers work with property owners to protect the character of the City through the enforcement of codes relating to the general condition of residential and commercial property and buildings. The Police Department, Planning and Community Development, and Public Works all employ Code Enforcement Officers and share the responsibility of ensuring properties within the City comply with the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC).
The Code Enforcement Officers enforce a variety of codes relating to buildings and construction, land use, environment, business license and registration, parks, streets and sidewalks, and public nuisances. This work is accomplished through a complaint-based system, where an officer responds to complaints from citizens and other City departments. After receiving a complaint, an officer from the appropriate department will investigate to determine if a violation has occurred. If a violation exists the officers strive to gain compliance through notification and education. Formal enforcement action is only taken when necessary to gain compliance.
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