Item Number: 6
City Council / Board of Directors
Consent Calendar
Meeting of: June 3, 2025
Submitted By:
Andre de Bortnowsky, City Attorney
Subject:
Settlement Agreement between City of Victorville and Andranik Bebedzhyan Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council approve the Citation Settlement Agreement by and between Andranik Bebedzhyan and the City of Victorville in regards to Citation Numbers 30210 and 40955 and authorize execution by the City Manager.
Fiscal Impact:
The city will recover its cost recovery fees of $6,797.00 and $8,743.38 for a total of $15,540.38. This amount is allocated to the account as reflected below:
Account No. Description Amount
1004030-44350 Code Compliance – Cost Recovery $15,540.38 The City will recover the sum of $96,250.00 in fines on the Citations. This amount is allocated to the account as reflected below:
Account No. Description Amount
1004030-47140 Code Compliance – Admin Citations $96,250.00 Background:
On December 17, 2019, the City of Victorville (“City”) adopted Ordinance No. 2400 amending the Victorville Municipal Code (“VMC”) to include section 13.150.060. VMC section 13.150.060 became effective on January 1, 2020, and provides an administrative citation and fine structure for excess cannabis cultivation within the City limits. The State of California allows for the cultivation of up to six (6) cannabis plants at a residential property. VMC section 13.150.060(c) prohibits cultivation of cannabis in excess of six (6) allowable cannabis plants.
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In recent history, the City’s Police and Code Compliance Departments have encountered excess cannabis cultivation operations inside residential homes. A typical excess cannabis cultivation within the City has ranged from approximately 200 to 2,000 cannabis plants being cultivated inside a residential home. These excess cannabis cultivation operations result in substantial damage to the interior of the home. Although the prohibition of excess cannabis cultivation applies to commercial properties within City limits as well as homes, the majority of these types of illegal cannabis cultivation operations occur inside residential properties.
The City’s Police and Code Compliance Departments investigate excess cannabis cultivation operations. These departments issue citations to the property owner or responsible party. The City’s Building Department, along with the Police and Code Compliance Departments, work to secure the residence, record building and safety violations present at the property that are the result of the excess cannabis cultivation, stabilize the utilities, and remove the cannabis from the home. The City incurs abatement costs related to the work completed by City departments stemming from the cannabis removal and securing the residential or commercial structure.
The administrative citation and fine process defined in VMC section 13.150.060 is one way the City combats excessive cannabis cultivations within its City limits. Enforcement of the City’s excess cannabis cultivation ordinance is intended to protect the health, welfare, and safety of the City’s residents from the public nuisance conditions associated with these properties.
Discussion:
Andranik Bebedzhyan owns two (2) residential pieces of property in the City of Victorville at 14745 La Brisa Road and 14404 La Brisa Road (“Properties”). An excess cannabis cultivation operation was found inside both Properties in December of 2023. The City issued citations 30210 and 40955 for the violation of VMC Section 13.150.060(c). The City’s Code Compliance, Police, and Building Departments abated the dangerous conditions present at the Properties. Pursuant to the authority given by the City Council to the City Attorney to waive the penalties and offer a 30% discount on the base fine amount, Andranik Bebedzhyan has accepted the terms of the settlement agreement wherein he will pay to the City the sum of $111,790.38 and the City will waive the penalties, interests or other fees that have accrued since the issuance of the Citation.
Andranik Bebedzhyan is in the process of selling the Property. Through the enforcement of a property rehabilitation agreement, Andranik Bebedzhyan or the buyer will be required to rehabilitate and bring the property up to code pursuant to building permits issued in connection with the renovation of the Property.
Staff and the City Attorney’s office recommend approval of the attached Citation Settlement Agreement as it is consistent with the City Council’s authority previously given to the City Attorney.
Attachments: A. Citation Settlement Agreement