DocuSign Envelope ID: 81A7C381-301B-4FAD-B1BE-19F79DD31769 County of Santa Clara SOUN
Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency
Weed Abatement Division
1553 Berger Drive
Building 1 SANTA® CLAS
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 282-3145
Fax (408) 286-2460
November 23, 2022
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ABATE WEEDS
Dear Parcel Owner:
To protect your property and the surrounding area from possible fire, your jurisdictional city (or County if in unincorporated areas) contracts with the County of Santa Clara to operate a Weed Abatement Program.
You are receiving this notice and information because our team has determined that your parcel is within the Weed Abatement Program. Please read the information carefully and contact us for clarification or additional information.
The governing body representing this parcel has or will adopt a resolution declaring your parcel as one that may contain fire hazards from weeds or other debris. Following this action, your governing body will conduct a public Commencement Hearing as part of a public meeting to consider an abatement order which would require you to remove any hazardous vegetation or combustible debris prior to the deadline in the included Weed Abatement Program Schedule. The public Commencement Hearing will be held on the date and at the place stated in the included Notice to Destroy and provides an opportunity for you to raise any objections or concerns with this requirement and with the parcel being on the Weed Abatement Program.
If you believe your parcel includes an environmentally sensitive habitat, please check the box on the blue Return Reply Form and provide any additional information on the Return Reply Form to assist us in determining the best approach to abating your parcel from fire hazards.
If, after the public Commencement Hearing, the Weed Abatement Program is approved for your parcel, the County is authorized by your city, and the California Health and Safety Code sections §14875-14922 to inspect your parcel to confirm that the parcel has been cleared of hazards and is compliant with Minimum Fire Safety Standards (see enclosed brochure). Inspections will begin after the abatement deadline for your jurisdiction. This notice does not relieve you of your responsibility to complete the necessary work before your jurisdiction's deadline. All parcels designated to be part of the Weed Abatement Program will have a $92 annual inspection fee to cover the cost of the program. This $92 cost will be included on your property tax bill as a special assessment.
In addition to the annual inspection fee, if the parcel is found to be non-compliant at the time of our inspection, the parcel will be assessed a processing fee of $519 per parcel and the property will be scheduled for abatement by the County designated contractor. If the abatement work is completed before the County designated contractor arrives, you will not incur additional charges. However, should the abatement work be performed by the County contractor, the parcel will incur the cost associated with the contractor's work plus an additional County administrative fee of $891 per parcel.
The County will use the least costly method of abatement considering the physical characteristics of your property and any other environmental or related concerns. Fees are detailed on the price list included in the Board of Supervisors: Mike Wasserman, Cindy Chavez, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, S. Joseph Simitian County Executive: Jeffrey V. Smith
DocuSign Envelope ID: 81A7C381-301B-4FAD-B1BE-19F79DD31769 Notice to Destroy. The total amount of fees incurred will be included as a special assessment on your property tax bill following confirmation of the charges by your city (or the County if the parcel is in an unincorporated area at a public Assessment Hearing. This Assessment Hearing will be scheduled in late spring/early summer, with the exact date determined by your governing body. Typically, Assessment Hearing information is posted at the physical location of the governing body (typically at a city hall building or other government center and most also publish this information on their websites) prior to the meeting.
You can avoid all costs, other than the $92 annual inspection fee, by completing the abatement work yourself according to Minimum Fire Safety Standards (see enclosed brochure) prior to the abatement deadline for your jurisdiction and maintaining the Minimum Fire Safety Standards for the duration of fire season, which typically runs March through October. Parcels will be removed from the program after three consecutive years of voluntary compliance (work completed by parcel owner prior to the deadline and confirmed by our inspection).
In preparation for this program, please complete and return the enclosed blue Return Reply Form so we are notified of your plans for abating your property.
If you designate on your Return Reply Form that you intend to abate the weeds yourself, you need to complete the abatement before the deadline listed on the attached abatement program schedule and maintain fire sate conditions for the duration of the fire season. Responding that you intend to provide maintenance yourself does not release you from this responsibility to have the maintenance completed before your deadline and repeated as necessary to maintain Minimum Fire Safe Standards.
The County will abate hazardous vegetation as required after the deadline for your jurisdiction at your cost.
Enclosed you will find the following information:
V Return Reply Form specific to your parcel. Please complete and return to us.
V Notice to Destroy Weeds informing you of an upcoming public Commencement Hearing (that you may attend if you have any objections to the proposed removal of hazardous vegetation or debris from your parcel). Your jurisdiction may offer the ability for you to participate in this meeting virtually; please confirm directly with your jurisdiction.
V Weed Abatement Program Schedule for your city with current County abatement fees.
V County of Santa Clara Weed Abatement Brochure.
Please be aware that any abatement performed by the County must comply with all applicable regulations.
If your property falls within an area designated as possible habitat for burrowing owls or any other protected species of bird or animal, the methods used to remove vegetation may be regulated by specific laws or local ordinances.
If you are no longer the owner of the parcel identified by this mailing, please notify us immediately at (408) 282-3145. If you sell your parcel after the date of this letter, it is your responsibility to notify the new owner and to include the obligation to pay any abatement costs in your agreement of sale. Without taking this action, you will be responsible for all hazard abatement charges assessed to the parcel.
Our goals are voluntary compliance with the Minimum Fire Safety Standards and that all properties remain safe from fire. If you have any questions or need on-site advice to help you achieve compliance with the Minimum Fire Safety Standards, please call us at (408) 282-3145.
Sincerely,
-DocuSigned by:
blasia
Edgar Norasco, Director
Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency