City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 3 June 9, 2026
Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 5.1
DATE: June 9, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Hearing Regarding Weed Abatement Program and Ordering Abatement
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Union City and Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) Fire Prevention staff conduct weed abatement as a fire prevention measure. Vacant properties with the potential for extensive weed growth are included in the program. Owners of these properties have the option to either complete the abatement work themselves or have it completed by a City contractor through this program. If objections are received prior to or during the public hearing, the City Council should consider them and then allow or overrule them by motion. Staff recommends that the City Council, by motion, act upon any objections by property owners to the 2026 Weed Abatement Program and instruct the Economic and Community Development Director to abate the public nuisances.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Although this item is not aligned with a specific strategic plan goal, this action will initiate the process of removing weeds and debris from vacant properties to protect health and safety.
BACKGROUND
The City of Union City conducts a yearly Weed Abatement Program to abate weeds on vacant properties that property owners do not maintain to the satisfaction of the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) Fire Prevention staff. The program is authorized by, and conducted pursuant to, Government Code Sections 39560, et seq. The abatement work typically consists of tractor mowing, supplemented with manual labor to clear weeds abutting fences and to remove debris to facilitate tractor work. Property owners may arrange their own weed and debris removal. All properties on which the City performs abatement work would be assessed the full cost of that work, including administrative costs, which are 20 percent of the cost of the weed abatement services.
At the May 12, 2026, City Council meeting, the City Council initiated the 2026 Weed Abatement Program by declaring that weeds growing on specified properties are Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 3 June 9, 2026
seasonal and recurrent nuisances; and rubbish, refuse and dirt upon parkways, sidewalks or private property in the City of Union City are public nuisances. At that meeting, the City Council also set June 9, 2026, as the date for a public hearing to hear any objections from property owners. Property owners were sent public hearing notices after the City Council initiated the 2026 Weed Abatement Program.
DISCUSSION
ACFD staff identified 36 vacant parcels with regular seasonal weed growth that could pose a fire hazard if not properly maintained. These parcels are located throughout the City and are listed on Exhibit "A" (Attachment 1). A map (Attachment 2) is also attached, showing the location of these properties.
Property owners who choose to perform weed and debris removal themselves must complete the work by June 15, 2026. After this date, ACFD staff will perform an inspection to determine if the nuisance conditions have been abated. Please note that since ACFD staff completed their initial inspection (which was used to create the attached list), property owners may have abated weeds on their properties. If this is the case, property owners are not required to attend the public hearing to inform the City that they have abated the weeds. Any abatement work performed by the property owner either before the public hearing or by the June 15 deadline will be confirmed by ACFD staff during their inspection. It is anticipated that the City's contractor will complete the work by the end of June.
At the time of writing this staff report, no written objections to abating weeds on the identified parcels have been received. If objections are received prior to or during the public hearing, the City Council should consider them and, by motion, allow or overrule them. The City Council may then instruct the Economic and Community Development Director to abate the public nuisance on the parcels remaining in the program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will utilize funds in the Economic and Community Development budget to perform the abatement work. The property owner will be fully responsible for their proportionate share of the weed abatement costs, plus a 20% administrative fee. Property owners are only charged if the City’s contractor removes the weeds. Cost recovery is provided through a property tax lien, which the Alameda County Assessor’s Office collects.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council, by motion, act upon any objections by property owners to the 2026 Weed Abatement Program and instruct the Economic and Community Development Director to abate the public nuisances.
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 3 of 3 June 9, 2026
Prepared by: Juliet Vaughn, Associate Legal Counsel
Submitted by: Carmela Campbell, Economic and Community Development Director Attachments
1. Attachment 1 - Exhibit A - List of Weed Abatement Properties
2. Attachment 2 - Map Showing Location of Weed Abatement Properties