Administrative Warrants to Aid Code Violation Review

In pursuit of the City Council’s 2025-27 goal prioritizing public safety, the City is reviewing its processes to ensure that City staff has the tools necessary to support the health, safety, and welfare of the Wilsonville community.

Currently, Wilsonville lacks a way to investigate violations of City Code on private property when a property owner is uncooperative. For example: if a community member reports that a neighbor is illegally cutting down trees in their backyard along the Willamette River embankment, staff will make every effort to investigate but is limited in ways to verify whether a violation is occurring without a property owner’s cooperation.

Other jurisdictions, including Tualatin, Tigard, Beaverton, West Linn, King City, Washington County, and Clackamas County, have processes in place to obtain a warrant to enter onto property to investigate violations of local Code regulations.

Informed by these regulations, City staff has developed draft language, to be added to the Wilsonville Code, that establishes a process of obtaining a warrant from the Wilsonville Municipal Judge to enter onto property to investigate Code violations.

Like warrants in criminal cases, City staff would be required to submit a sworn affidavit to the Municipal Judge explaining the basis for investigating the alleged Code violation(s). The affidavit must include information about efforts made to contact the property owner. The staff member must also appear before the Municipal Judge, under oath, to explain the need for the warrant to enter the property. The Municipal Judge may issue the warrant so long as cause exists to investigate the violation. Staff may only enter property with the consent of an authorized person (such as a person living at the location) or with a warrant.

Two work sessions with the City Council were held to inform this project and ensure it meets the community's needs:

• Sept. 15, 2025: Video l Meeting Packet (includes research from other jurisdictions)
• Nov. 3, 2025: Video l Meeting Packet (includes Draft Code)

A public hearing to consider adoption of the revised Code is anticipated to occur at the City Council meeting on Nov. 17. Please comment under the tab below with any questions or comment.