HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-01-14 City Council (4)TO:
City of Palo Alto
City Managlr’s ;epeit
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE
DATE:JANUARY 14, 2002 CMR:106:02
SUBJECT:APPROVAL OF EXTENSION OF THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY
ABANDONED VEHICLE ABATEMENT SERVICE AUTHORITY
FOR SECOND 10-YEAR TERM AND THE CITY OF PALO
ALTO’S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City:
1) adopt the attached resolution approving the extension of the Santa Clara County Abandoned
Vehicle Abatement Service Authority (AVASA) for a second 10-year term beginning May
1, 2002, and
2) approve the City’s continued participation in the AVASA.
BACKGROUND
Sections 9250.7 and 22710 of the California Vehicle Code provide for the establishment of a
service authority for abandoned vehicle abatement if the County Board of Supervisors and a
majority of the cities within a county adopt resolutions supporting such action. This program
imposes an annum vehicle regis.trat~on fee of one dollar on the vehicles registered to owners
with an address within each county. Revenue collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles
is used to reimburse participating agencies based on the following formula: 50 percent based
on the jurisdiction’s population percentage and the other 50 percent based on a jurisdiction’s
percentage of vehicles abated county-wide.
In 1991, Santa Clara County established the AVASA program and the City Council adopted a
resolution authorizing the City of Palo Alto’s participation. This service authority was
established to provide County law and code enforcement agencies with resources to facilitate
the proper removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles. Santa Clara County’s current AVASA
agreement sunsets on April 30, 2002.
CMR:106:02 Page 1 of 3
DISCUSSION
Senate Bill 106, recently signed into law, amended section 9250.7 of the California Vehicle
Code which established the AVASA program. The amendment authorizes the extension of the
service fee for each service authority for increments of up to 10 years if the County Board of
Supervisors, by a two-thirds vote, and a majority of the cities having a majority of the
incorporated population within the county, adopt resolutions providing for the extension of the
fee. Palo Alto has 3.5% of the County’s population. Approving the extension of the program
is required for the program to continue. Adoption of this resolution would reauthorize the
City’s participation in the AVASA program until April 30, 2012.
RESOURCE IMPACT
Currently, 50 percent of a community service officer’s time and about 25 percent of a staff
secretary’s time in the Police Department’s Traffic Division is spent on abandoned vehicle
abatement in Palo Alto. Over 1,285 abandoned vehicles were processed last year. Including
equipment, salary and benefits and administrative overhead, the City spends approximately
$54,000 a year to provide this service. By participating in AVASA, about 96 percent of these
costs will be reimbm?sed to the City.
In FY 2000-2001, the City of Palo Alto received reimbursements in the amount of $52,000 from
the AVASA program for its expenses related to the removal of 726 abandoned, wrecked,
dismantled, or inoperative vehicles from our public streets. Projected AVASA revenues for FY
2001-2002 are estimated to be approximately $50,000.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
This recommendation is consistent with existing city policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The recommendation is not subject to consideration of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA).
CMR:106:02 Page 2 of 3
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Resolution
PREPARED BY:
DAVID DUDLEY ///
Superv~r~~2~nt
LYNNE JOHNSON
Assistant Police Chief
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
PATRICK
Chief of Police
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EMILY
Assistant City Manager
CMR:106:02 Page 3 of 3
RESOLUTION NO.
RESQLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO
ALTO APPROVING THE EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO
COLLECT THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE FOR
DISTRIBUTION TO THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY ABANDONED
VEHICLE ABATEMENT SERVICE AUTHORITY
WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code Section 22710
authorizes the establishment of_--a service authority for the
abatement of abandoned vehicles in a county and the imposition
of a one dollar ($i.00) vehicle registration fee, if the board
of supervisors, by a two-thirds vote, and a majority of the
cities having a majority of the incorporated population within
the county have adopted resolutions providing for the
establishment of the authority and the impositiQn of the fee;
and
WHEREAS, on November 4, 199 i, the Counci I approved
Resolution No. 7039 authorlzlng the establishment of a service
authority within Santa Clara County, thereby making funds
available to the City for abatement activities through the
imposition of a one dollar ($I. 00) per vehicle annual
registration fee on all vehicles registered in Santa Clara
County; and
WHEREAS, the number of vehicles abandoned on public and
private property is constantly increasing, and it is
increasingly difficult for the City to sufficiently fund
programs to abate abandoned vehicle nuisances; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto has established a plan
for the abatement of abandoned vehicles pursuant to Chapter 9.64
of the Palo Alto Municipal Code; and,
WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code section 9250.7(g)
authorizes the vehicle abatement registration fee to be imposed
by a service authority only for a period of i0 years from the
date that the collection of the fee commenced, prov±ded, however
that the fee may be extended in increments of up to i0 years by
two-thirds vote of the county board of supervisors and a
majority of the cities having a majority of the incorporated
population within the county adopting resolutions providing for
the extension of the fee;
O11213 cl 0044134 1
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto
does RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION i. The City Council of the City of Palo Alto
hereby declares that it approves the extension for an additional
period of ten years the collection by the California Department
of Motor Vehicles for distribution to the Santa Clara County
Abandoned Vehicles Abatement Service Authority that vehicle
abatement fee authorized by California Vehicle Code
section 22710.
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Pal0 Alto
hereby declares that it approves--t-h-e extension for an additional
period of ten years the collection by the California Department
of Motor Vehicles for distribution to the Santa Clara County
Abandoned Vehicles Abatement Service Authority that vehicle
abatement fee authorized by California Vehicle Code
section 22710.
.INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Mayor
APPROVED:
Senior Asst. City Attorney City ~a~ager
Poilce Chief
Director of Administrative
Services
O11213 cl 0044134 2