Sunnyside councilors pressed for revision and firmer implementation of the Sunnyside Municipal Code (SMC) to improve neighborhood appearance and public safety, and discussed how code enforcement could be balanced with education and volunteer support programs.

At the workshop, councilors said a current SMC that is hard to enforce undermines efforts to keep neighborhoods clean and safe. Speakers noted the city presently has limited code-enforcement staffing and suggested a mix of approaches: revise code language where needed, expand code-enforcement capacity if funding is available, and create a proactive education and volunteer program to assist residents who lack resources to comply.

Why it matters: Effective code enforcement is a tool for public-health, appearance and property‑value outcomes. Councilors cautioned, however, that punitive enforcement without education and support could harm vulnerable residents.

Meeting details: Speakers highlighted a prior code-enforcement officer who worked closely with churches and community organizations to obtain paint or labor for needy residents and suggested re-engaging similar partnerships instead of relying wholly on fines. Specific ideas included offering material credits (for example, donated paint from county hazardous-waste collections) and identifying church or volunteer groups for targeted weed‑abatement and exterior-repair projects.

What was not decided: No ordinance amendments or staffing hires were approved. Council asked staff to prepare a clear list of possible SMC updates, enforcement resource needs and community-education options for council review.

Ending: Council emphasized combining enforcement authority with education and partnerships so code changes are accompanied by community assistance and feasible compliance paths.