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go-S . Change in neighborhood character due to increased density. . Other - increased activity, such as more children in schools, greater use of community services, etc. d- Other Cities. Neighboring cities use several approaches to address illegal units including: enforcement programs, a transition program, and ordinances on second living units. Attachment #1 summarizes some of the standards in cities' accessory dwelling unit ordinances. i. Enforcement In San Carlos, there are 2 approaches to enforcement depending on how the violation (illegal second unit) came to the city's attention - the inspection plan approach and the complaint approach. When the city is performing an inspection and the staff comes across an illegal garage conversion, the inspector determines whether a violation involves matters of health and/or safety. Such violations include the absence of a firewall or fire door, a gas water heater in a sleeping area, a furnace, hazardous electrical wiring, unions in gas lines, and extension cords. When a violation involves health and safety, the owner is instructed to rip out the unit 99 percent of the time (In the other 1 percent of the time, it may be possible to correct the deficiency in the health and safety violation). When a violation in a second unit does not involve health and safety issues, the city writes a violation, but does not pursue it or take it to court. If an owner sells the property, the owner should disclose to the prospective buyer that the property contains an outstanding violation because this violation continues to be outstanding until corrected. The city proceeds differently when it receives a complaint regarding an illegal garage conversion. If a complaint is a signed complaint, the owner must remove the illegal unit regardless of whether the violation involves matters of health and safety. Enforcement proceeds by the book. If a complaint is an anonymous complaint, the city staff drives by the house to see if there is an violation that is obvious when viewed from the street, such as a window cut into a garage door facing the street - clearly indicating a garage conversion. If so, the city requires removal of the unit. If a violation is not visible from the street (and the complaint is anonymous), no action is taken. Thus, city enforcement action varies depending on the origin of the information on the illegal unit. Secondly, only when an illegal unit is discovered during the course of an inspection, are violations not related to health and safety written up, but not pursued further. II. Daly City's Amnesty Program In 1992 Daly City began a 1 Y2 year amnesty program for legalizing illegal living units and downstairs rooms such as a bedroom or family room built without a permit. Also qualifying for the amnesty program was a unique situation involving tandem garages. If the rear portion of a tandem garage had been converted to a living space (such as a family room) and the entire property contained a single residence, the living space could gain amnesty because the remaining parking space in the garage and a space in the driveway (tandem spaces are acceptable) satisfy parking requirements. Conversion of a single-car garage or part of a side-by-side, two-car garage did not qualify for the amnesty program. The City's point of view was that these illegal units -3- ._."._-".~ "T