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Home My WebLink About0474.094TO: FROM: AGEND.~ DATE: SUBJECT: REQFEST • City of Palo Alto City Manager's Repor~ HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER NOVEMBER "1,1994 Weed Abatement Program DEPARTMENT, CMR:474:94 FIRE , Abatement of weeds is required by Chapte, 8.08 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code. This report summarizes th'! procedw-cs to be fotlo\l;'ed in the ptocess; discusses program needs, cbje-:tjves. 3fld fina'1cir.g; and t<:quests aCtOptioIl of the attached resolution identii}'ing weeds as <1 public n\..li.~anc·e aJld setting a public hearing date. RECilliM E "DATIONS Staff H-conunends. Council approve and adopt the at1.ac,he~ negative declaration, finding t.~at no significant effect') on the. cnvironm;!n! v.rill result from the project; and adopt the attached resolution declaring weeds to be a public nuisance and setting December 5, J 994 for a public hearing. The resolution also orders lhe City to pubU~h a notice of hearing in accordance with the pro,'is;""., afth. Code. roue\' IMPLICATIONS This procedu..re is consistent with e,<isting City policies. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chap<.er 8.08 of the Palo Alto Municipal code specifies weed abatement procedures. The chapter indicates it to be unlawful for property owners or occupanls to permit weeds to remain upon the premises, public sidewalb, streets or alleys. The chapter also specifies the procedures to be foHawed to abate weeds. 'lbese are: Declaration of the City Council by resolution declaring weeds to be a public nuisance. This declaration sets the time and place for hearing hlly objectives to the proposed weed abatement. Publication of notice -This notice infonns property owne" of the passage of the resolution and provides. that property ov..'1)ers 5MB remove weeds from their property, Page 1 of 2 • or the abatement wiil be carried out by the County, The City then publishes the notices to abate weeds, Hearing -The C<>WlCil rnusl conduct a public hearing, at which time any property own ... may appear and object to the proposed weed dostruction or remo\'.1. After hearing and considering any objections, the Cou'1dl may allow or overrule any or all objections. If objections are ('Yem.Lied, the COWlcii is deemed to have acquired jurisdiction to proceed; and the County will be asked to perform the work of destruction and removal of weeds, On March 2 I, 1977, Ll,e Cit)' Council appro\'ed an ag.--eement with Santa Clara County for the administratioo of weed abatement "'ithin the City of PaJo Alto, This agreement has reduced the costs and Cit)' staff time required for administration of weed abatement; and, for !he past sixteen seasons. the weed abatement program has bern expeditiously carried out by the County Fire Mfu-Shaj'S <'ffiee ..... ith n!5ults satisfactory to Palo Alto residents. tlSCAL IMPACT 'lncre is no dirccl fis-:a! imra-,::l. !l~ lhe City. The City of Palo Alto administers a ""'eed abatement progr<iffi ,,',it.h th ... SaJl:lA Clara COUIlty Fire Mar::;hal's office \l,;ith a minima12mount of sJ.:J.ff tim.::. An chp.Je:,t,:. for Lnt we'~d at;2..teme-nl ~er\'ic.'-:s are included as a special asse5sment on bills for ta:-xe<;; ievied against the rcs.~cti\'e lots and parcels of land and, are considered lien::. on these properties. ENYIRONMIlHAI ASSESSMEKI A Negathe Declaratlon for th~ projen has: been prepar~d showing that no significant environ...rnemal effect.,> ~111 result from tne' \.\ecd Hba!em~n.t program. ATIACHMENTS Environmental Assessment: Negative Deciar3tion Resolution Declaring Weeds to be a Nuisance and Setting al-Jearing Prepared By: Phil Constantino, Fire Mlrsb.1 Depa.'tment Head Review:_ ~A---- Yo", Chief /7 --('\ 'f---'174, City Manager Approyal:_ ~L-I-----'f-"="..;i=_"-__ Page 2 of 2 /. ,-'" Er"j'iironrnenta"1 DOC'l..m;ents . Cit)' of Palo Alto Project Description/Title: ,1UV'lual Weed Ab-!ltemer.t Program location/Address: Variow; Cil'.'A'iC'e Sponsor; ng Agency I-"'P i i (ant: City or Pelc" Alto Fire l).epartmer.t Address aoo Telephone 0 f -"'P 1 ; cant: -ill5) 32(>-2184 250 Hamift":m AVe1'!iI~, P~io Alto, CA .4.ppllcatlon for: J'!.e~~_._t .. b6!E':nc..n.tJi~l~JJ.~'D_. (e.g" zoning change. subdivislCf) of p;c~;:"€ ... t:-·. }!",~r.ltf-.:-tL;,,~1 ~,:-';l~. L.~? ~ .. ::-,~.i t} Zoning at Project Lc~.:,:=.tiGn: ._N/c~ __ ._ Based L~~on revi ('\'1' of the proJe,:t i') l~s. D€partrrrent has concluDe-d. IX: I Negative Declaratjon To" pr"j""t cos U 5'c;r,li'Cin: 0:CI'1","C.:r.t,! impact. No Environmental !irpdct Rf;·;:.rt is ,e~Jire-d H':-::-f(·':::::<):;5 fc~ a Negative Declar'dtion arc' ....Ib..r" 'el";lI",1 q""t.rynt Qrctj r 2"', Ui(l"t::: of rR".'_in: Wfft1S t-hrnIJohpi/t the tity h'tJJct~ O';-;:sf'nt d nub-!l} G'dqn;r;-L_dr·d _fill hazard Sites inc1lldp yaranj Ipts r"~,rti{)rl<:: pf ~~,t ic.cn)lJJs --lilld b.;yJands and other ooen ,pac'" afPQS N-::~ ('he1r,:,-,,! berbjcLfl nl}l bei..!sed as a reStOt of this prpitXt Ibjs 15 cC'''sid~reG an artr;lj-;j tnal0tenance acl"nity per-froned to abate rotentia1 flce tld2ard'5 1=1 The project rnay have a significant en'..'irorJf('f1tal 1,~Ct. .Q.[i. [!'1' i r-ore'f'ef1t a 1 IlTl'<lct Report wi 11 be prepared. Planning Department Official: {jl:t!Jztil'!~JZ!. 8.~:I!Jfe;,zzlll.._6~,"-______ _ Planning Di,"ector: ~>".k#t:SJJ~ ElMW The project has l;<;.C'rl approved. The project has been denied. Date· Date' /0/; I (?~ 9-t-U,..I..-·2~ ---------- RESOLUTION NOo RESOLUTION OF °THE COUNCIL OF TH"O-fffy OF PALO ALTO DECLARING WEEDS TO BE A NUISANCE AND SETrIt;G A HEARING WHEREAS, weecw, as defined in Section 8.0S_010(b} of the Palo Alto ~nicipal Code, are growing in the City of Palo Alto upon various streets, alleys, sidewalks, and parcels of private property within said municipality, such weeds which bear seeds of a wingy and downy nature, or may attain Bue}l large growth as to become a fire menace whetl dry, or a>re otherwise combustible, a menace of the public health, noxiouB r or dangerous; aod WH2REAS, said wS!eds constitute a public ntlisance; NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo A.lt.o does hereby RESOLVE as follows: s.fu,..'"'TION 1. Suer. 'l;;E',eds do nm; C;ol]sLir:ut(!, c_nd .... ill cuntim,Je to consr.,itute r a P 1.10 1 ic Iluisanc:-e, Such nl.lisa"1c~ e;dst s upon all of the streets, alleys, side.".,'alks, and parcels of pt"ivat.e property w3.thin said City as ShOM!, described, and deli~eated un the several I'!t<lP$ of che proPerti~s in eaid City ;.,'hieil <:'12 record,,,:i in the Office of thE' County Recordel.. of.. the County 0: S3f1t.,:,. C.litre>, r.::-ff':rence in each inst(ince tor the description of ,iny p,::'trt lc,lla:r street, alley, t')r parcel of private property being hel-ecy r".ade Lo the several maps aforesaid, and, in the event of th~re be.ir.g several sl.l.bdivision maps on which the same lot;s a.n] sho-.-.'TI, reference is hereby made to the latest subdivision map_ SgcrION 2_ 11lFJREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the said public nuisanc~ bE-abated in the m,annez' provided by Chapter 8. OS of thE' Palo Alto MUnicipal Code: 'IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Monday, the 5th day 0:;: December, 1994, at tne hour of 7:00 p,m., of said day, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Council Chambers of the Civic Center of said City, be and the same is hereby fixed as the time and place when objections to the proposed destruction or removal of such weeds shall be heard and given due consideration " IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Fire Cholet of the City of Palo Alto is directed to cause notice of said hearing to be given in the time, rT'aruler and form provided in cr.t.a.pter 8.08 of said Palo Ai to Muni d:pal Code. SECTION 3, Unless such nuisance is abated without delay by the destruction or removal of such \!"eeas, the W01"k of abating such nuisance will be done by the County of Santa Clara Pl re Mars1'1al's Office fO.r the City of ~Q.lo Alto, and the expenses the.l'eof assessed upon the lot s and lands from <ibich, and/or in the front and rear of which, such weeds shall have been destroyed or removed. 1 9410\)4 We 0031034 ;-~-----~---.-->~: ,~---.- ,-0'. SEW'IQtl 4. The City council hereby finds that this project will have no significant effect on the environment. INrRODUClID AND PASSED: AYES: NOBS: ABS8NT: ABSTENTIONS: A'ITEST: City Clf:!rk APPROVED AS TO POfLt-~: Senicr Asst. City AttornBY 941004 bck ool1034 "<." , .•. ', APPROVED: