Attachment 4 - Public CommentFrom: Lester Schiefelbein <les@schiefelbeingdr.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2019 11:13 AM
To: Stefanie Hockemeyer <SHockemeyer@LosGatosCA.gov>; Lester W. Schiefelbein Jr.
<lester.schiefelbein@gmail.com>
Subject: Protest of Proposed Assessment
RE: Schiefelbein, Linda A and Lester W
227 Forrester Road
Los Gatos, CA
APN 537-22-012
Dear Ms. Hockemeyer,
On August 1, 2019 I received a letter dated July 26, 2019, signed by you which informed me that I "may
file a written protest of the proposed assessment." This email is my written protest, and the protest
email is being sent to you following your direction.
Before detailing the reasons for the protest I wish to thank you for the time spent with me in your office
on August 2, 2019, discussing the weed abatement program and the proposed assessment.
As an introductory comment I wish to state that weed abatement is an important homeowner
obligation, and I believe that my property is in compliance with applicable Los Gatos Town Code and any
administrative provisions directed by the Santa Clara County
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management.
The July 26, 2019 letter from Ms. Hockemeyer contained the attachment "2019 Weed Abatement
Program Assessment Report Town of Los Gatos" which lists a Tax Roll Amount of $80.00 for my
property.
In my meeting with with Ms. Hockemeyer on August 2, 2019 I provided her with three pictures of my
property which I took in the early evening of August 1. The pictures provide a front, side and rear view
of my property. The pictures do not detail any weed abatement issues. Further, I provided Ms.
Hockemeyer the Invoice from West Valley Tree Care which details the weed abatement work done on
my property on April 16 and 17, 2019. The three pictures and Invoice are to be considered attachments
to this protest email.
Bottom line--1 do not see any basis for an assessment.
Please send me a reply email to indicate receipt of this written protest.
Cordially submitted,
Les Schiefelbein
ATTACHMENT 4
From: Stefanie Hockemeyer
Sent: Monday, August 05, 2019 10:08 AM
To: Lester Schiefelbein <les@schiefelbeingdr.com>; Lester W. Schiefelbein Jr.
<lester.schiefelbein@gmail.com>
Cc: Kumre, Moe (Moe.Kumre@cep.sccgov.org) <Moe.Kumre@cep.sccgov.org>; Matt Morley
<M Morley@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: RE: Protest of Proposed Assessment
Dear Mr. Schiefelbein,
Thank you for providing your written protest as a follow-up to our meeting on Friday, August 2nd _
followed up with Moe Kumre, Manager of the County of Santa Clara Weed Abatement Program, and he
confirmed that your property has been removed from the 2019 Weed Abatement Program Assessment
Report, and that no fees will be assessed on your 2019 property taxes.
Once properties have been identified by an Inspector as a potential fire hazard, properties are
monitored by the Program for three consecutive years of compliance. If no hazards are found and
abated by the County during that time, properties may be removed from the program. If the Minimum
Fire Safety Standards (MFSS} are met by the given deadline and maintained through the fire season, the
only fee incurred is the initial inspection fee.
After researching your APN, it shows that your property had been in the Program during 2016, 2017,
and 2018, in which you complied for three consecutive years, satisfying that requirement in 2018. Your
parcel remained on the list for 2019, which was a mistake and we appreciate you bringing this to the
attention of the Town and the County.
If you have any further questions about the Weed Abatement Program, please feel free to contact the
County at (408} 282-3145, or myself.
Best,
Stefanie Hockemeyer • Executive Assistant
Parks and Public Works • 41 Miles Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Ph: 408.399.5761
www.losgatosca.gov
This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual{s) named in this e-mail. If you receive this e-mail and are not a
named recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of the e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please immediately notify us at the above e-mail address.
, .., . . . .
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Cross Street or directions
No.
Today's Date __ ·?-,....../_l�/_2._(!>_I _'! ____ Preferred Work Date _________ _
Estimate Prepared By __ Ji_. _ua---'-------------------------
SERVICE CODES:
Code
1.Prune / Shape Trees 4.Top Trees I Hedges
2.Remove Brush
3.Remove Roots
5.Clear Out Weeds
6.Landscape Service
-� . .,...._.._..,.....--r-_ �·--��-�
Description of Work & Location on Property
7.Remove Trees/ Hedges 10. Clean Up
8.Trimming I Thinning 11.Other
9.Grind Away Stump 12.Dump
Extras Cost
Total Labor
Total Material i
�--+--+------:----+---�------1---------l� -14. {kl !N?L Cf c,'( a.)Dump Fee
Total Amount
------.-���-·..,...,,,._ ___ ...__
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We are not responsible for damage to pipes or underground utilities due to root removal or stump grinding. If customer is not sure such work can be
done safely, we recommend a professional utilities inspection before asking us to begin any such work
8/5/2019
VIA USPS
Peter Runyan & Hying Mee Choi
331 Bella Vista Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95032
Dear Mr. Runyan,
TOWN OF Los GATOS
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
PHONE(408)399-5770
SERVICE CENTER
41 MILES A VENUE
Los GATOS, CA 95030
This is to acknowledge receipt of your protest of the 2019 Weed Abatement Program Assessment
Report. When properties are identified to have hazardous weeds they are placed in the Program
and monitored and must be compliant for three consecutive years in order to be removed from the
Program.
I contacted the County Weed Abatement Program to review your parcel (#529-23-003} and the
proposed charges of $80. Moe Kum re, Director of the Program confirmed that the $80 charge shall
be assessed, as your property was added to the program in 2017, was non-compliant in 2018, but is
compliant this year. This will require two more years of voluntary compliance in order to be
removed from the program. The $80 is an administrative fee that is assessed to every property
that is in the Program for the initial inspection.
We have noted the address is erroneously listed and will correct it for future correspondence.
If you would like further information, please contact the County Weed Abatement Program at (408)
282 -3145.
Sincerely, ' 1D)
�CKEM�
Executive Assistant
Cc: Moe Kumre, Weed Abatement Program Manager
August 2, 2019
Clerk Administrator
Town of Los Gatos
110 E. Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Peter Runyan & Hyung Mee Choi
331 Bella Vista Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95032
APN� 52..�-"l3--Wo
Re: Protest of 2019 Weed Abatement Program Assessment Report
lUl9 /JJG -5 A 8: 0 i
We have just received the above-referenced report. Our property located at 331 Bella Vista Avenue (the
address is erroneously listed on the Assessment Report as "331 Villa Vista Av") is listed in the above
referenced report, and we wish to protest the assessment (of $80).
We purchased the property in mid 2018, and early this year we received a notice indicating an
assessment for weed abatement could occur if we didn't clear weeds. Thereafter, we hired a
landscaping service (Rojas Gardening} to do a massive property cleanup. It took several hours, and the
cost was $800. The property (and much of the adjoining property, which we believe is owned by the
Hedberg family) was completely cleared of brush, weeds, and debris.
Since we have already taken the time and spent considerable funds to completely achieve weed
abatement, there is no valid basis for our property to be included on any such assessment. Z·nc
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