DATE: February 1, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager
By: Linda Rodriguez, Assistant City Clerk
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7405 DECLARING THAT WEEDS, BRUSH,
RUBBISH, AND REFUSE UPON OR IN FRONT OF SPECIFIED
PROPERTY IN THE CITY ARE A SEASONAL AND RECURRENT
PUBLIC NUISANCE, AND DECLARING AN INTENTION TO PROVIDE
FOR THE ABATEMENT THEREOF
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The County of Los Angeles Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures (the “County”) has submitted a “Declaration List” of private properties within the City that have been found by inspection to have hazardous weeds, brush, and rubbish, which constitute an existing or potential hazard to the health and safety of adjacent property owners. The County recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution declaring that the conditions are a public nuisance and must be abated or removed.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7405 and schedule the protest public hearing for February 15, 2022.
BACKGROUND
Annually, the County inspects properties located in the City of Arcadia and declares that hazardous conditions upon or in front of certain private property are a public nuisance and must be removed or abated. A list of those affected properties which have been found to have weeds, brush, and/or rubbish growing or occurring upon them is attached as part of Resolution No. 7405 as Exhibit “A”.
At the request of the County, attached for City Council consideration is the adoption of Resolution No. 7405 declaring that weeds, brush, rubbish, and refuse upon or in front of specified property in the City are a seasonal and recurrent public nuisance, and declaring its intention to provide for the abatement thereof. It is also recommended that
Resolution No. 7405 – County Weed Abatement
February 1, 2022
a public hearing be scheduled for February 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., as the date and time for the City Council to hear protests, if any, from affected property owners.
The nuisance abatement process also allows property owners sufficient time to clean up their properties before the County would provide services on their behalf. Quite often, on large, vacant properties, it is easier and cheaper for the property owners to allow the County to remove the weeds and debris and simply pay the nominal charge.
Upon adoption of Resolution No. 7405, the County will mail annual weed abatement notices to those property owners. If the properties are not sufficiently cleaned up, then the County will carry out the work and add the cost onto the annual property tax bills for the subject property.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund as a result of the County abating or removing nuisances from those properties located in the City of Arcadia. Affected property owners are assessed by the County directly for the removal of the weeds if necessary.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council find that the proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act; and adopt Resolution No. 7405 declaring that weeds, brush, rubbish, and refuse upon or in front of specified property in the City are a seasonal and recurrent public nuisance, and declaring its intention to provide for the abatement thereof; and schedule the protest public hearing for February 15, 2022.
Attachment: Resolution No. 7405
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