HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 1873City of Palo Alto (ID # 1873)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Action ItemsMeeting Date: 8/1/2011
August 01, 2011 Page 1 of 3
(ID # 1873)
Summary Title: Weed Abatement Reso
Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Adoption of a Resolution Confirming Weed Abatement
Report and Ordering Cost of Abatement to be a Special Assessment on the
Respective Properties Described Therein
From:City Manager
Lead Department: Fire
Recommendation
Staff recommends Council (1) hold a public hearing to hear and consider objections from
affected property owners of proposed assessments related to completed weed abatement
work and (2) adopt the attached resolution confirming the report and ordering abatement costs
to be a special assessment on the properties specified in the report.
Background
The Weed Abatement Division of Santa Clara County Agriculture and Environmental
Management administers the contract for weed abatement within the City of Palo Alto, in
accordance with an agreement established on April 18, 1977 between the City and County.
On December 13, 2010, in accordance with Chapter 8.08 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the
City Council declared weeds to be a nuisance and ordered that the nuisance be abated. A
public hearing was held on January 10, 2011, to consider objections to the proposed
destruction or removal of the weeds. No objections were noted. Once the above steps had
been taken, the County Weed Abatement Division instructed its contractor to abate weeds on
City and private properties within Palo Alto. That work has now been completed. Property
owners were notified the third week in December 2010 that weeds were to be abated by April
30, 2011, either by the owners or by the County. If the property owners chose to have the
County abate the weeds, the abatement charges would be levied against the respective
August 01, 2011 Page 2 of 3
(ID # 1873)
properties as an assessment by the County Assessor. The County has since informed the
property owners of the costs for destroying and removing the weeds.
The City Clerk has published the required notice of this hearing in the Palo Alto Weekly. The
cost report by the County Weed Abatement Division has been posted on the City Hall Plaza
bulletin board for ten days prior to this hearing.
Discussion
Property owners may object to the charges for weed abatement being levied against their
properties. The charge consists of the contractor’s cost plus 150 percent administrative
charges, in accordance with Palo Alto’s contract with Santa Clara County (CMR 357:00,
September 18, 2000).
A representative from the County Weed Abatement Division will be present at the public
hearing with the records of weed abatement that have taken place. Should there be any
modifications in the proposed assessments as a result of the hearing, changes in the
assessment spread will be made as necessary. After any recalculations are completed, and
Council adopts the attached resolution confirming the abatements and ordering those costs to
be imposed as liens on the abated properties, the assessments will be submitted to the County
Assessor for entry on the October tax roll upon which general City taxes are to be collected.
RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact of this action to the City. The assessments identified on
Attachment B, totaling $2,250, will be imposed as liens on the properties listed and will not be
borne by the City.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
This procedure is consistent with existing City policies.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
August 01, 2011 Page 3 of 3
(ID # 1873)
The Santa Clara County Counsel has determined the Weed Abatement Program to be
Categorically Exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308.
Attachments:
·Weed Abatement Reso w-Exhibit A Aug 2011 (PDF)
·Attachment B (PDF)
Prepared By:Gordon Simpkinson,
Department Head:Dennis Burns, Police Chief
City Manager Approval: James Keene, City Manager