# QUESTION CITY OF SARATOGA CITY OF MOUTAIN VIEW CITY OF SUNNYVALE 1 Under which city department or division
does the weed abatement program fall?
Does this department/division collaborate
with other city entities to ensure effective
weed control and management?
The City of Saratoga doesn't have an official weed
abatement program. Community Development Department,
Code Compliance Division conducts inspection and enforces the muni-code related to weeds.
The City of Mt. View does not have an official weed abatement program. Code Enforcement conducts inspections and
enforces municipal codes related to weeds.
The City of Sunnyvale does not have an official weed
abatement program. Neighborhood Preservation (code
enforcement), under the auspices of the Department of Public Safety, conducts inspections and enforces municipal codes related to weeds.
2 How many full-time or part-time personnel
are employed within the City's weed
None None None
3 Who carries out the abatement work
within the city's weed abatement
program? Are these tasks handled
internally by city staff, or are external
contractors utilized?
Work is performed by an outside contractor. 2 full-time inspectors, 1 supervisor, and 1 manager. The inspectors conduct inspections related to weeds.
Neighborhood Preservation has 3 full-time inspectors, 1 supervisor, and 1 manager. The inspectors and supervisor conduct inspections related to weeds. Not sure if you are asking how many weeds or general inspections are done
annual?
4 What is the annual budget allocated to
the city's weed abatement program,
including personnel costs, equipment,
materials, and any contracted services?
No Response Weed abatements are organized by staff but the abatement work is done by Tucker Construction who is the City's third- party contractor.
Weed abatements are organized by Neighborhood
Preservation staff but the abatement is done by Tucker
Construction
5 Is the city's weed abatement program
structured to achieve 100% cost recovery,
or are there subsidies or other funding
No Response Not Applicable Not Applicable
6 Who is responsible for performing
inspections within the city's weed
abatement program? Are these
inspections conducted by dedicated staff
or are they outsourced to third-party
contractors? How many inspections are
Community Development Department, Code Compliance
Division
When the City hires the contractor to conduct the weed
abatement, all costs of the abatement contractor are assessed against the property owner.
When Neighborhood Preservation hires the contractor to
conduct the weed abatement, all costs of the abatement.
Contractor are assessed against the property owner. We do not typically charge staff time unless it's part of a receivership case.
7 What month does your program being
inspecting properties during a given year,
or are inspections conducted year-round?
No Response Inspections are conducted year round but include all types of code violations, not just weeds.
Inspections are conducted year round but include all types of code violations, not just weeds.
8 What are the city's weed abatement
program priorities: addressing potential
fire hazards, or enhancing community
aesthetics, or does it address both
No Response The priority when opening code enforcement cases for weeds is both potential fire hazards and addressing blight.
Neighborhood Preservations priority when opening code
enforcement cases for weeds is both potential fire hazards and addressing blight.
CITY OF SANTA CLARA WEED ABATEMENT QUESTIONAIRE RESPONSES 1 of 3
10 How does the program handle native
weed species that may not pose a direct
threat to fire safety or community
aesthetics? Are there specific guidelines
or criteria for managing these species, or
No Response MVMC code definition in Question 9, and there are no specific exceptions.
SMC and IPMC code definitions as noted above and there are no specific exceptions.
11 Do warnings to property owners
constitute a standard practice within the
city's weed abatement program?
Furthermore, in cases where properties
are discovered to be out of compliance
but subsequently rectify the violation, is a
fee assessed?
No Response Weed cases are handled by staff. First they notify the property owner of the violation and provide a deadline to comply. If the deadline is not met, citations may be issued. If the property owner remains out of compliance, staff will issue a Notice to Abate and hold an abatement hearing. If the hearing officer upholds staff’s recommendation to abate, then staff works with our city attorney to get an inspection warrant. Then staff hires an abatement contractor to conduct the abatement. The cost of the abatement is charged to the property owner.
If the property owner cuts the weeds prior to abatement, they won’t be charged for the abatement but they would still incur the citation costs.
Weed cases are handled by Neighborhood Preservation staff.
First they notify the property owner of the violation and provide a deadline to comply. If the deadline is not met, citations may be issued. If the property owner remains out of compliance, staff will issue a Notice to Abate and hold an abatement hearing. If the hearing officer upholds staff's recommendation to abate, then staff works with our city attorney to get an inspection warrant. Then staff hires an abatement contractor to conduct the abatement. The cost of the abatement is charged to the property owner. If the property owner cuts the weeds prior to abatement, they won't be charged for the abatement but they would still incur the citation costs.
12 Can you explain the appeals process
within the weed abatement program?
How does it work for property owners
contesting abatement orders found to be
An abatement hearing is then conducted if there is no
compliance, and an outside contractor is hired to remove the weeds.
Same as above See answer to Question 11 above
Sunnyvale Municipal Code related to weeds:§
8.20.010Prohibited-Defined-Removal. (a) No owner, agent, lessee or other person occupying or having charge or control of any building, lot or premises within the city shall permit weeds to remain upon the premises, or public sidewalks, or streets, or alleys between the premises and the centerline of any public street or alley.
(b) "Weeds," as used in this chapter, means all weeds growing upon streets, alleys, sidewalks, or private property in the city and includes any of the following:
(1) Weeds which bear or may bear seeds of a downy or wingy nature; (2)
Weeds and indigenous grasses which may attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property;
(3) Weeds which are otherwise noxious or dangerous;
(4)Poison oak and poison ivy when the conditions of growth are such as to constitute a menace to the public health; (5) Accumulation of garden refuse, cuttings and other
combustible trash.
What specific criteria does the city utilize
for inspecting and/or abating weeds? If
there is a maximum height limitation, what
is the threshold in inches?
"Weeds" defined.
The term "weeds," as used in this Article, shall include, without limitation, any of the following:
(a) Weeds which bear seeds of a downy or wingy nature;
(b) Sagebrush, chaparral, and any other brush or weeds
which attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace;
(c) Weeds which are otherwise noxious or dangerous;
(d) Poison oak and poison ivy when the conditions of growth are such as to constitute a menace to the public health; (e) Dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard. *Except taken from website.
"Weeds," as used in this chapter, means all weeds growing upon streets, alleys, sidewalks, or private property in the city and includes any of the following:
(a.) Weeds which bear or may bear seeds of a downy or wingy nature;
(b.) Weeds and indigenous grasses which may attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property;
(c.) Weeds which are otherwise noxious or dangerous;
(d) Poison oak and poison ivy when the conditions of growth are such as to constitute a menace to the public health; (e) Accumulation of garden refuse, cuttings and other
combustible trash.
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13 Apart from medical conditions, are there
any other circumstances under which
exceptions or accommodations are
granted within the weed abatement
program? If yes, what are they and how
are they evaluated?
No Response Again, Mountain View does not have an official weed abatement program; however, every so often we will conduct an abatement. But, when we open a case for weeds and the property owner has a medical issue, we would allow additional time to comply and provide information about resources that could potentially help the person.
Again, Sunnyvale does not have an official weed abatement program; however, every so often we will conduct an
abatement. We have conducted two or three abatements for weeds in the last ten years. But, when we open a case for weeds and the property owner has a medical issue, we would allow additional time to comply and provide information about resources that could potentially help the person such as Beautiful Day (non-profit that does this kind of work). 14 How does the city annually engage in
education and outreach efforts to inform
residents about the requirements of the
weed abatement program? Is there a
designated budget allocated specifically
for this purpose, and if so, what is the
annual allocation? Additionally, could you
elaborate on the strategies employed by
the city to accomplish education and
outreach initiatives related to the program
within the community?
No Response The City does occasional outreach to the community about the importance of not having weeds. No specific budget for this.
The City does occasional outreach to the community about the importance of not having weeds. No specific budget for this. 15 Has the city ever contracted with Santa
Clara County for weed abatement
services? If yes, what were the
determining factors for transitioning to an
in-house program?
Yes. Recently left County program to have more local
control.
No. A couple of years ago we reached out to the County to inquire about how their program works. Because Mountain View has so few properties that we end up abating, the County told us that it won’t be worth their while, or ours, to enter into an agreement.
No. A couple of years ago we reached out to the County to inquire about how their program works. Because Sunnyvale has so few properties that we end up abating, the County told us that it won't be worth their while, or ours, to enter into an agreement. If I recall correctly, the County stated that we would have to have between 30 to 50 properties with chronic weeds to justify contracting with Sunnyvale. We don't have even close to that many.
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