The City of Tracy is actively involved in addressing nuisances associated with vacant and/or unsecured buildings. Abandoned buildings are often neglected and result in neighborhood blight. The City of Tracy’s Boarding of Unsecured Buildings Ordinance was adopted to increase the responsibility of property owners for maintaining the building and for taking measures to deter criminal activity. In addition, Code Enforcement inspections identify violations associated with the vacant property, which includes garbage, debris, fire hazards, unsecured openings, abandoned vehicles, and other code violations.

For information about your rights and suggestions on ways to resolve housing complaints between tenants and landlords, please contact the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs at 800-952-5210. Additional assistance is also available through the San Joaquin Fair Housing Office at 209-451-3471.

When a building is reported, a case is created, and a Code Enforcement Officer is assigned to inspect the property to ensure it is secure and free of code violations, such as garbage, debris, fire hazards, abandoned vehicles, and dead vegetation. If violations are discovered, the City initiates code action to encourage the property owner to comply with the abatement of the violations within a specified timeframe.

Occupying an abandoned or vacant building you do not own or rent is considered trespassing.

If you’ve identified an empty, abandoned shopping cart located on public property, you may file a report with the Public Works Department for retrieval. Reports can be submitted via Government Outreach, by email at PublicWorks@cityoftracy.org, or by calling the Public Works Department at 209-831-6300.

If the abandoned shopping cart is located on private property or contains items that resemble personal belongings, you may file a report with Code Enforcement to investigate the abandoned shopping cart. Abandoned shopping carts that contain items of value may require posting to allow said items to be claimed prior to disposal.

Pursuant to Tracy Municipal Code Section 3.48.080, private property owners are required, at their expense, to remove or paint over graffiti that is in public view within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of City notification.

Should the property owner fail to comply with this requirement, City employees, or private contractors employed by the City, will enter upon the affected private property to abate the nuisance by removing or painting over the graffiti. This city-initiated abatement will activate proceedings to place an assessment on the property, with costs recoverable in accordance with the provisions of the Tracy Municipal Code.

All persons objecting to, or interest in, said matter are provided the right to appeal to the City Manager pursuant to section 1.12.020 of the Tracy Municipal Code within forty-eight (48) hours from receipt of the City’s notice. At the conclusion of the ten (10) day noticing period, the City may proceed with the abatement of the graffiti inscribed on the property. The decision of the City Manager is appealable under section 1.12.020 of the Tracy Municipal Code.

To report graffiti located on private property, you may submit a request to Code Enforcement via Government Outreach, through email at Code.Enforcement@TracyPD.com, or by calling the Code Enforcement Hotline at 209-831-6410.

The first notice you receive will be a Violation Notice. This notice is mailed to the property owner, and a copy is also left at the violating property at the time of inspection after confirming that a violation exists. Once you’ve received a Violation Notice, it is important that you contact the Code Enforcement Division as soon as possible at 209-831-6410. We will be happy to discuss the information outlined in your Violation Notice and provide any and all options available to you.

The Violation Notice provides a timeframe under which a property owner is responsible for complying with the violations discovered on the property. Once this time has lapsed and the violations continue to exist, more formal enforcement action will begin, including but not limited to administrative and/or judicial penalties.

Our first priority is to bring violations into compliance through voluntary measures whenever possible.

Complaints pertaining to landscaping that overhangs beyond property lines are civil matters to be disputed amongst parties of the shared property line. Code Enforcement does not intervene in civil matters unless there is an imminent danger to the public.

Replacement or repair costs of a shared fence is a civil matter and not enforced by the City of Tracy. However, if, in addition, a swimming pool exists at a residence, the property owner of the said residence must ensure the swimming pool is properly secured. If no barriers have been installed directly around the perimeter of the swimming pool, it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure no portions of the surrounding fence remain unsecured.

The following guidelines have been set in accordance with Article 36 of the Tracy Municipal Code:

• No person shall conduct a home occupation without first obtaining a home occupation permit. Once a permit has been obtained, the home occupation shall adhere to the regulations set forth in TMC section 10.08.4600.
• Tracy Municipal Code (TMC) section 10.08.4610,
  “The following uses and those with similar characteristics, are prohibited as home occupations: photography studio, beauty parlor, barber shop, pet grooming, appliance or vehicle repair shops, animal hospital, medical practitioner, clinic, music school, dancing school, business school, any other school with organized classes, except for individual instruction.”

To report a possible illegal home occupation or for information, you may contact Code Enforcement at (209)831-6410 or submit a request via the Government Outreach page.

The requirements for pool fencing in California have changed dramatically over the last few years in response to an increased need for additional safety. These regulations continue to be updated to help reduce the number of drownings. Knowing the pool fence regulations before you start designing will not only improve safety, but it will also create a more functional and visually appealing outdoor space.

In California, pools or spas built or remodeled after January 1, 2018, must now have a second safety feature in order to comply with state regulations. One of the first things homeowners tend to think about when visualizing a pool is the size and the location. However, a swimming pool is never complete without a pool fence, and while they are sometimes deemed an eyesore, they are necessary to comply with current safety regulations.

If you have an existing pool or are installing a new one, owners will need to install at least two of these safety features to be compliant:

1. A fence that is over 60 inches and surrounds the pool or spa and isolates it from the house. It must be fitted with a gate that opens out, away from the pool, with a latch fitted 60 inches off the ground. Gaps in the fence must not allow a 4-inch diameter sphere to penetrate, and no handholds or objects such as pots that would allow a child to climb over the fence are permitted.
2. An approved pool cover or self-locking spa cover designed for safety.
3. A removable mesh fence that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications F2286 standards and features a self-closing and self-latching gate. The gate also requires a key-lockable device.
4. Exit alarms fitted on any doors that have direct access to the pool or spa.
5. Any doors that provide direct access to the pool or spa must be self-closing and feature a self-latching device that is fitted over 54 inches high.
6. An alarm that fits in the pool that detects when a person enters the pool. This does not include alarms worn by the child and must comply with the ASTM Standard F2208 “Standard Safety Specification for Residential Pool Alarms.”
7. Another approved safety device that exceeds California’s previous pool fencing regulations.

More information regarding Pool, Spa, Hot Tub Enclosure, and Safety Devices

While the current pool regulations are designed to prevent drownings by providing a safe environment for all swimmers, there are still risks around any body of water, regardless of the pool fence. The following guidelines are designed to help pool owners ensure there is safe use of their swimming pool and spa at all times.

• Ensure your pool fencing is compliant with state and local laws.
• Always remember, a pool fence is not a substitute for adult supervision.
• Do not leave children unsupervised around swimming pools, spas, or ponds, regardless of their swimming ability.
• Take your child to swimming lessons.
• Consider taking a CPR course so you can assist in an emergency.
• Display resuscitation instructions near your pool, such as on your pool fence.
• Place a ‘no diving’ sign if your pool is too shallow for diving.
• Avoid leaving furniture and other climbable items near your pool.
• Avoid drinking alcohol around water and while supervising children.

For information about your rights and suggestions on ways to resolve housing complaints between tenants and landlords, please contact the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs at 800-952-5210. Additional assistance is also available through the San Joaquin Fair Housing Office at 209-451-3471.

If the weeds are not a fire hazard and they are more of a maintenance problem, the complaint may be submitted to the Code Enforcement Unit for review. Complaints may be submitted online through the Government Outreach System or by email at Code.Enforcement@TracyPD.com.

Reports of abandoned or inoperative vehicles located on the street may be filed through the Vehicle Abatement Hotline at 209-831-6554.

Code Enforcement will address reports of inoperative vehicles located on private property, e.g., the driveway. Once reports are received, they will be entered as cases into our Code Enforcement database for follow-up action. You may submit complaints via the Government Outreach Page or by calling the Code Enforcement Hotline at 209-831-6410.

You may report vehicles parked on an unpaved surface to Code Enforcement via Government Outreach, through email at Code.Enforcement@TracyPD.com or by calling the Code Enforcement Hotline at 209-831-6410.