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AGENDA ITEM
CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Report: Report: Public Hearing for Weed abatement charges for FY 2023-2024
1. Resolution confirming weed abatement charges
COUNCIL ACTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fire Department Vegetation Management Program includes 9,667 parcels within the very high fire hazard area that receive an annual inspection. Of those, 616 are unimproved, vacant properties. The City has an agreement with Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner for weed abatement services on those unimproved properties.
On March 26, and subsequent public hearing on April 30, the City Council approved the declaration list of the vacant properties that constitute a public hazard to permit the County Agricultural Commissioner to abate the hazards within the City. The Commissioner recovers the cost of abatement through assessment on the current property tax assessment roll. This report describing cost of the abatement on all the properties inspected by the Commissioner is submitted to the City for review of the charges, and approval, before forwarding to the County Auditor.
Item Type: Public Hearing
Approved forJuly 30, 2024 calendar
2 RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council approve the attached Resolution confirming Weed Abatement Charges as described on the attached County of Los Angeles Weed Abatement Charge List dated July 18, 2024.
ANALYSIS
The City has a Weed Abatement Agreement with the County of Los Angeles, which was renewed in 2022 for a five-year period. Under this agreement, the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner is the agent of the City authorized to carry out removal of noxious and dangerous weed growth.
The Fire Department, along with Agricultural Commissioner inspectors, conducts inspections to determine if a hazard exists and requests the Commissioner to carry out abatement. The Commissioner recovers the cost of abatement through assessment as permitted under Article II, Chapter 13, Part II, Division 3, Title 4 of Government Code of the State of California. As part of our communication program, the Commissioner has been notifying the Fire Marsal of planned and completed work assignments. For the past several years, the Agricultural Commissioner has been contracting with private vendors to keep the costs of weed abatement as low as possible.
The FY 2023- 2024 Weed Abatement Charges Report was submitted by the Agricultural Commissioner on July 18, 2024, for the period covering July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
The Commissioner has provided a copy of the report, describing the cost of abatement on all properties to be posted, setting the date of July 30, 2024, as the date the report will be submitted to the City Council for confirmation of charges. Once approved, the charges will be forwarded to the County Auditor to enter the amounts on the current property tax assessment roll. The public hearing held on April 30, 2024, approved the County’s Declaration List of properties constituting a public nuisance, which then allowed the Commissioner to abate the identified hazards. Property owners are sent letters (in advance of the actual abatement) when charges are estimated to exceed $750. While this notification letter is not a requirement, it is provided.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The stakeholders include the owners of the 622 properties identified in the approved declaration list. A notice will be mailed to the property owners informing them of the program.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
NA
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements. 3 ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Greg Fish, Fire Chief
Prepared by:
Jovan Diaz, Fire Marshal
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS