CLEARLAKE ? Clearlake Code Enforcement is utilizing the city”s overgrown weed and vegetation ordinance to abate properties posing a potential fire hazard. Hundreds of property owners have reportedly been cited.
Hundreds of vacant properties bearing no dwellings or accessory structures located within residential neighborhoods have been identified as being a potential fire hazard and public nuisance due to overgrowth of brush, weeds and/or dead tree limbs, unkempt hedges, shrubbery, etc.
Property owners not complying with demands stated in public nuisance citations within the time allotted for reaching full voluntary compliance are then served with a notice of violation, which allows for an additional 30 days to comply.
If compliance is not met, a notice of administrative penalties is issued and penalties begin to accrue in the amount of $100 per day. Penalties accrue for a maximum of 25 days. If compliance is still not achieved, at the conclusion of 25 days, the property owner(s) are then responsible for all administrative penalties that have accrued.
“Code enforcement has been extremely successful in achieving voluntary compliance with property owner(s) owning properties determined to be a public nuisance or fire hazard. Very few property owner(s) have been served a notice of administrative penalties,” Clearlake Police Chief Allan McClain reported to the city council on Thursday. “Of the hundreds of property owner(s) being cited, code enforcement has been unable to contact approximately 20 to 30 of these property owner(s) being cited as the owner of property not in compliance.”
Under the authority of Section 1-8.21 of the Municipal Code, “Summary Abatement of Nuisances,” the city does have the authority to abate public nuisance which present imminent or immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare without prior notice to the property owner(s) or possessor of the property in violation. Code enforcement will be utilizing this section to proceed with abatement actions on the properties of which property owner(s) were unable to be contacted.
A summary abatement of any nuisance will be at the sole expense of the responsible party. Failure to reimburse the city of all costs and fees incurred will result in the issuance of a special lien or assessment.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
