Who decides?

1. The city attorney picks: ticket or crime (§1.12.010)

"every act prohibited, declared unlawful or declared substandard or unsafe and every failure to perform an act made mandatory by this Code or any other ordinance of the City of Williams shall constitute either a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the discretion of the city attorney." Verified3

• Who holds the power: the city attorney. Williams doesn't employ one. The job is contracted to a private firm, Best Best & Krieger, and partner Andreas Booher serves as city attorney Verified4,5.
• What it means for you: the same violation can be a misdemeanor, "punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or by both" (§1.12.020), or an infraction of $100, $200, then $500 (§1.12.030) Verified3. The code lists no factors for that choice, and you get no say in it.
• It decides more than the fine. Under state law, "An infraction is not punishable by imprisonment," and a person charged with one gets no jury trial and, in most cases, no appointed lawyer Verified6.
• What state law says: "Violation of a city ordinance is a misdemeanor unless by ordinance it is made an infraction" Verified7. Our reading: state law lets the council make that call in an ordinance. Williams handed it to the city attorney, case by case. The formula is common in California codes. That makes it widespread, not fair.
• A fair version would say: first violations of rules that don't endanger anyone are infractions or administrative only. A misdemeanor is allowed only for listed sections or repeat, willful conduct, with written reasons in the file and yearly public counts.

2. Every day is a new offense (§1.12.040)

"Each person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of the ordinances of the City of Williams is committed, continued or permitted by any such person" Verified3

• Who holds the power: whoever charges or fines you. The rule covers the whole code.
• What it means for you: a condition that sits for a month can be counted as 30 separate offenses, and nothing in this section requires a notice before the count starts. As infractions, 30 days could add up to $14,300 on paper ($100 + $200 + 28 × $500) Calculated3. Our reading: courts rarely go near that. The point is the leverage it gives the city in any negotiation.
• A fair version would say: days count only after written notice and a deadline to fix it, with a cap per condition.

3. Almost anything can be a "nuisance" (§8.16.040, §1.12.050)

"'nuisance' and/or 'nuisance condition' means any condition or use of premises or property which is either: (i) detrimental to the premises or property of others; (ii) which poses an immediate or potential health, safety or fire hazard; or (iii) which violates any provision of this Code or other codes adopted by the city." Verified8

The list that follows includes "Making or emitting any noise uncomfortable to or annoying to a reasonable person," "any condition or use which poses a threat to the public health or safety," trash cans visible "at times other than the day of collection," and buildings that become "a harbor for vagrants, criminals or immoral persons" Verified8. Separately, any code violation "shall be deemed to be a public nuisance" (§1.12.050) Verified3.

• Who holds the power: the "enforcement officer," meaning "either the building official, neighborhood services manager, public works director, fire chief, or police chief of the city, or their designees" (§8.16.030(H)) Verified8.
• What it means for you: item (iii) turns every violation, however small, into a nuisance. That unlocks the heavy tools: orders to abate, city cleanup billed to you, liens. Words like "potential" hazard and "immoral persons" give you little way to know in advance what crosses the line. Our reading: vague words don't limit an inspector. They widen what an inspector can pick.
• A fair version would say: measurable standards (decibel limits, amounts, specific code sections), and no catch-all that makes every violation a nuisance.

4. The inspector chooses whether to act, and how hard (§8.16.070, §8.16.110)

"In the discretion of the enforcement officer, the administrative citation procedure of Article VI of this chapter may be used either in addition to, or in lieu of, the other provisions of this chapter." (§8.16.070) Verified8

"he or she may, or upon the direction of the city council shall, serve a notice to abate" (§8.16.110(A)) Verified9

• Who holds the power: the enforcement officer.
• What it means for you: the officer decides whether to act at all, and then whether to fine you, clean up and bill you, or do both. Two neighbors with the same yard can get two different outcomes, and the code gives no rule for choosing. Our reading: this is the opening for selective enforcement. Nothing here requires the city to log who complained or why one property was picked.
• What the code already gives you: a citation carries a correction date, and "If a non-emergency health or safety violation(s) is corrected before the correction date provided on the administrative citation, no fine shall be imposed" (§8.16.500(A)) Verified10. That protects only that kind of violation, and only on the citation track. It doesn't stop abatement costs, daily counts or a criminal charge.
• A fair version would say: a written warning and a reasonable window to fix any non-emergency condition before any fine, cost or charge, a published enforcement-priority policy, and public numbers on inspections and citations.

5. Entry and water shutoff with no mention of a warrant (§13.04.310, §13.08.060, §13.04.220(E))

"have the right of entering any or all premises for the purpose of determining whether the provisions of this chapter are being complied with." (§13.04.310, water) Verified11

"shall be permitted to enter all properties from which wastes or wastewaters are being or are capable of being discharged into the sewage system" (§13.08.060, sewer) Verified12

"If any water user refuses entry by, or hinders or prevents inspection by the director or his representative, then the city may discontinue water service to the premises until and unless entry is allowed." (§13.04.220(E)) Verified11

• Who holds the power: the superintendent of streets, "the city" for sewers, and the public works director.
• What it means for you: read alone, these sections sound like you can't say no, and one of them attaches a price to saying no: your water. None of them mentions a warrant or your consent.
• What state law says: an inspection warrant is "signed by a judge of a court of record" Verified13. The application must include "a statement that consent to inspect has been sought and refused or facts or circumstances reasonably justifying the failure to seek such consent" Verified14. A warrant inspection "shall not be made by means of forcible entry" unless the judge expressly allows it, and where consent was refused, notice of the warrant "must be given at least 24 hours before the warrant is executed," unless the judge finds that immediate execution is needed Verified15. A city ordinance can't take away those state-law rights Unverified16.
• The same code knows how to say it. The garbage chapter allows entry "after obtaining either a warrant or permission to do so from the owner or occupant of the premises" (§8.08.090) Verified17. Our reading: the water and sewer sections leave those words out. Whether shutting off water over a refused inspection would hold up in court is an open question. We know of no ruling on Williams' clause.
• A fair version would say: entry with the owner's or occupant's consent or an inspection warrant, with prior notice, emergencies excepted. No water shutoff as a penalty for refusing.

6. Pay before you can argue (§8.16.510, §8.16.520, §13.08.930)

"together with either an advance deposit of the fine or an approved request for a deposit waiver." (§8.16.510(A)) Verified10

"demonstrating to the satisfaction of the city finance officer, or his or her designee, the person's actual financial inability to deposit" … "The written determination of the city finance officer, or his or her designee, shall be final" (§8.16.520(C)–(D)) Verified10

"Users desiring to dispute an administrative fine shall file a written request for the public works director to reconsider the fine along with full payment of the fine amount within thirty days" (§13.08.930(D), sewer fines up to $5,000 per violation per day) Verified18

• Who holds the power: the finance officer for the hardship waiver; the public works director for sewer fines.
• What it means for you: to contest a citation, you pay the fine up front or convince a city employee that you can't. That employee's answer is "final." If you can't pay and the city says you can, you lose your hearing before it starts. If you win, the deposit is refunded with interest (§8.16.540(D)) Verified10.
• What state law says: after the city's final decision you can appeal to superior court within 20 days, where the case is heard fresh ("de novo") Verified19.
• A fair version would say: no deposit to ask for a hearing, and any hardship decision can be appealed to the hearing officer.

7. The prices aren't in the code (§8.16.490, §13.08.040(E))

"as set forth in a schedule of fines established by resolution of the city council." (§8.16.490(A)) Verified10

"Any other fees the city may deem necessary to carry out this chapter, established from time to time by the city council." (§13.08.040(E)) Verified12

• Who holds the power: the council, usually on a staff recommendation.
• What it means for you: you can read the entire code and still not know what a violation costs. The amounts sit in separate resolutions, and the sewer chapter leaves room for fees nobody has named yet. Our reading: setting amounts by resolution is legal and common. Not putting them next to the rule is a choice.
• A fair version would say: every fine schedule and rate resolution printed as an appendix to the code, and "any other fees" deleted.

8. The appeal for fines points to a section that doesn't exist (§8.16.590(B))

"Such decisions may be appealed pursuant to Section 23.01.692 and Government Code Section 53069.4." Verified20

• Who holds the power: nobody can fix this but the council.
• What it means for you: the Williams code has no Section 23.01.692 and no Title 23 at all in the copy we checked Verified1. Our reading: it was probably copied from another city's code. The state-law appeal (Gov. Code §53069.4) still exists, but a resident following the code's own directions hits a dead end.
• A fair version would say: the correct section, plus the 20-day court deadline in plain words.

9. Costs from the first knock, then a tax sale (§8.16.160, §8.16.180)

"the owner and/or responsible party shall also be liable for any expenses and administrative costs incurred by the city, county or any related agency incurred after the initial inspection and identification of the nuisance." (§8.16.160(A)) Verified9

Those costs can include "costs of investigation" and "the fees and costs of the city's consultants" (§8.16.160(B)), and they "bear interest at the rate of ten percent per annum" (§8.16.160(E)). If they go on the tax roll: "The property may be sold after three years by the tax collector for unpaid delinquent assessments. The tax collector's power of sale shall not be affected by the failure of the property owner to receive notice." (§8.16.180(C)) Verified9

• Who holds the power: the enforcement officer runs up the costs; the council confirms the assessment.
• What it means for you: the meter starts at the first inspection, including one set off by a neighbor's complaint, and can end with your property sold.
• What state law says: the tax-sale wording follows state law almost word for word Verified21. Our reading: the state picked the tax sale. Williams picked billing from the initial inspection and adding consultant fees.
• A fair version would say: costs start only after a correction deadline is missed, and no consultant fees without a hearing officer's finding.

10. Water bills unpaid 60 days: foreclosure on paper (§13.04.221(E)–(F))

"Property subject to a lien for unpaid water charges shall be sold for nonpayment of the same" … "The city attorney is hereby authorized and directed to institute such proceedings, in the name of the city, in any court having jurisdiction over such matters, against any property for which water bill has remained unpaid sixty days after it has been rendered." Verified11

"The failure of the clerk to record such lien claim or to mail such notice, or the failure of the owner to receive such notice, shall not affect the right to foreclose the lien for unpaid water bills" Verified11

• Who holds the power: the city clerk (lien) and the city attorney (foreclosure).
• What it means for you: as written, a water bill 60 days overdue is enough to send the city attorney to court against the property, and a notice that never reached you doesn't stop it. Our reading: we have not confirmed the state-law basis for this foreclosure or whether Williams has ever used it. State rules on residential water shutoffs are separate and give more protection.
• A fair version would say: proof the owner actually got notice, a payment plan offered first, and a council hearing before any foreclosure.