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Attachment 6 - Public CommentFrom: Stefanie Hockemeyer Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 11:32 AM To: arvin.khosravi Cc: Matt Morley <MMorley@losgatosca.gov> Subject: FW: Weed Abatement Fiasco Importance: High Dear Mr. Khosravi, I am in receipt of your letter to Mayor Sayoc and am sorry to hear of your frustration with being included in the Town’s Weed Abatement program. Due to high fire risks, the Town is taking abatement requirements very seriously to make sure property owners are meeting their obligations. The Town is also investing significant funds in vegetation management to ensure the safety of the community, especially along roadsides. There is little tolerance for exceptions to this program. The Town of Los Gatos Municipal Code Chapter 11, Article II et seq requires property owners to prevent potential fire hazards based on the California Health & Safety Code to provide protection for the property and any nearby structures by clearing hazards according to Minimum Fire Safety Standards. It also authorizes the County to remove the weeds if the property owner fails to do so and to recover costs through an assessment on the property tax bill for each parcel. The Program is a cost recovery program administered by the County on behalf of the Town and is funded from fees assessed on the properties included on the assessment list. Every year while in the program, each of the property owners are charged an annual compliance inspection fee and some incur costs for additional inspections, administrative, and abatement fees. Once a parcel is placed in the program, it will remain until it displays compliance for three consecutive years, at which point it will be removed. •In 2018 your property had been inspected and found to be non-compliant with the minimum fire safety standards (see attached pictures). •In 2019 your property was inspected and was compliant. •In 2020, your property was deemed non-compliant (see attached pictures) and the Council upheld that at the August 4, 2020 Town Council meeting. During the public hearing discussion, Council noted that all other property owners were able to comply, so COVID did not hold up as a reason to dismiss any of the charges incurred. This was understood by all Council members and voted on unanimously. •For the current year, your property is compliant, and we are simply charging the $84 inspection fee to recover the cost of inspecting the property. In your email below, you stated, “I called the office at the number provided on the notice two times. Once on 6/11/2020 and then again on 6/15/2020 to notify the office about the SIP situation and requesting an extension. I did not receive a call back until 6/19/2020. When I finally was able to talk to Brian of the county office, he specifically mentioned that the subcontractors were "way behind" in inspection and I should be OK if I had the weed cleared within 1-2 weeks of the 6/17/2020 deadline. I had the weeds cleared on 6/23/2020.” ATTACHMENT 6 To be clear, the 2020 charges of $683 ($101 for the initial inspection fee, which all properties in the program must pay, and an additional $583) were due to being non-compliant on June 2, 2020 when the County re-inspected your property. The $583 is an administrative fee that included the cost of a work order that was generated to move forward with the County contractor to clear your weeds. Because you completed the abatement before the County inspector was scheduled to visit your property, you did not incur additional administrative and abatement charges. I have attached both copies of the letter that was provided to you each year in December by the County for the 2020 and 2021 Weed Abatement program. Based on the decision by Council on August 4, 2020, the charges of $683 will not be reversed. If you need further clarification, please feel free to contact me. 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. From: Marico Sayoc <MSayoc@losgatosca.gov> Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2021 3:10 PM To: Arvin Khosravi Cc: Laurel Prevetti <LPrevetti@losgatosca.gov>; Janette Judd <jjudd@losgatosca.gov> Subject: Re: Weed Abatement Fiasco Hi Mr. Khosravi - Through this email, I am asking our town staff to reach out to you (or connect you with the appropriate County personnel) that can clarify why you are on the Weed Abatement list again. I hear your frustration and I want to make sure that we can provide more information about the process and work with you to ensure your property remains safe and meets the County requirements. Thanks for following up, Marico On Jul 23, 2021, at 4:46 PM, Arvin Khosravi wrote: Mayor Sayoc, I sent the above email to your predecessor but never received any response! I am writing to you with regards to the Weed Abatement issue AGAIN. I just received in the mail a letter informing me of non-compliance for 2021 !!. I don't know who makes the inspections and decisions about this but, I have been spending close to $2,000 per year on weed abatement alone. My hillside is clean and free of weeds and has been for 2021. I still need a response on my objection to the 2020 charges which I objected both at the council mtg as well as in writing. It seems as if this weed abatement charging process has become a source of revenue for the town with no merits whatsoever. I ask this issue to be reviewed and if there is any evidence of non-compliance, I am requesting proof of it. Extremely frustrated, Arvin Khosravi. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Arvin Khosravi < > Date: Fri, Sep 25, 2020 at 2:23 PM Subject: Weed Abatement Fiasco To: <mjensen@losgatosca.gov> Mayor Jensen, I attended the August 4, 2020 LG Town council meeting to address the weed abatement issue and the unjust assessment added to my property tax. Unfortunately, my comments were not understood by the council, especially by Council member Rob Rennie. Despite digitally raising my hand several times, I was not allowed to speak to the subject matter again. I also tried several times to contact the council via phone with no success. Hence, this email. • 6/4/2020 (postmarked) - I received a notification from the County of Santa Clara that the compliance deadline of 4/15/2020 had passed and that I needed to clear the weeds by 6/17/2020. • I'm certain that you remember the Shelter-In-Place (SIP) order that was issued by the state in mid-March 2020. • I called the office at the number provided on the notice two times. Once on 6/11/2020 and then again on 6/15/2020 to notify the office about the SIP situation and requesting an extension. I did not receive a call back until 6/19/2020. • When I finally was able to talk to Brian of the county office, he specifically mentioned that the subcontractors were "way behind" in inspection and I should be OK if I had the weed cleared within 1-2 weeks of the 6/17/2020 deadline. • I had the weed cleared on 6/23/2020. At the hearing on 8/4/2020, I mentioned the fact that due to the Covid-19 and SIP situation, I was not able to have the weeds cleared by the due date of 6/17/2020 and that I was finally able to have them cleared on 6/23/2020. Even though council member Marico Sayoc commented and suggested leniency due to the COVIS-19 situation, Mr. Rennie disagreed. I do not know what city/state/country Mr. Rennie has been living in the past 6+ months that prevented him from understanding the gravity of the SIP situation. According to his own admission at the hearing, he hadn't done much since the last council meeting. I am very frustrated with the town council being so out-of-touch with the reality and severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and it's lack of understanding of the situation that I was in and the multiple attempts I made to show good faith and ask for a few days of extension. I am reiterating my objection to this ruling and ask for reversal of the assessment. Arvin Khosravi. Fold Here First Return Address ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency 1553 Berger Drive, Bldg. #1 San Jose, California, 95112 Fold Here Second Use Staples To Secure (over) TRA 03 Notice to Destroy Weeds NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on December 3, 2019, pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.20.020 of the Town Code of the Town of Los Gatos, the Town Council of said Town adopted a Resolution declaring that all weeds growing upon any private property or in any street, sidewalk or alley, as defined in Section 11.20.020 of such code, constitute a public nuisance, which nuisance must be abated by the destruction or removal thereof. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that property owners shall within thirty days after the adoption of such resolution, or within the time specified in a written agreement with the Director of Parks and Pubic Works of the Town of Los Gatos, or the Director of Parks and Pubic Works' representative, whichever time shall be later, remove all such weeds from their property, the abutting sidewalks, and the abutting half of the street in front, and alleys, if any, behind such property, and between the lot lines thereof as extended, or such weeds will be destroyed or removed and such nuisance abated by the Town of Los Gatos, in which case the cost of such destruction or removal will be assessed upon the lots and lands from which, or from the front or rear of which, such weeds shall have been destroyed or removed; and such cost will constitute a lien upon such lots or lands until paid, and will be collected upon the next tax roll upon which general municipal taxes are collected. All property owners having any objections to the proposed destruction or removal of such weeds are hereby notified to attend a meeting of the Town Council of such Town to be held in the Council Chambers of said Town at 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos, California, on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, when their objections will be heard and given due consideration. The language and format for this notice is required by California Health and Safety Code Sections 14891 Et. Seq. (over) LOS GATOS WEED ABATEMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULE January 21, 2020 Public hearing to consider objections to Abatement List. April 15, 2020 PARCEL ABATEMENT DEADLINE Parcel must be free from hazardous vegetation by this date or Inspector will order abatement. July-August, 2020 Assessment Hearing to protest abatement charges .(Date subject to change, please confirm with City Clerk) 2020 COUNTY WEED ABATEMENT FEES Properties in the Weed Abatement Program, you will be responsible for an annual inspection fee of $101.00 per parcel. Please be advised that the property owner of any parcel found to be non-compliant on or after the March 1st deadline will be charged a processing fee of $582.00 and the property will be scheduled for abatement by the County contractor. If you complete the abatement work before the County contractor performs the abatement, you will not incur further charges. Should the abatement work be performed by a County contractor, you will be assessed the contractor’s charges plus a County administrative fee of $984.00 per parcel. 2020 COUNTY CONTRACTOR’S WEED ABATEMENT PRICE LIST A) Disc Work** PARCEL SIZE:1st Disc + 2nd Disc = Total Discs 0-12,500 sq.ft.$399.80 $160.73 $560.53 12,501sq.ft.- 43,560sq.ft. $399.80 $160.73 $560.53 Larger than 1 Acre $290.41 $141.83 $432.24 (PER ACRE) ** It is required that parcels be disced twice a year. The cost for the first discing is higher due to additional work normally required during the first discing. B) HANDWORK $5.40 PER 100 Square Feet (SF) C) FLAIL 6 Foot Mower $6.89 PER 1,000 SF MOWING 12 Foot Mower $6.89 PER 1,000 SF D) LOADER WORK $165.20 PER HOUR E) DUMP TRUCK $152.49 PER HOUR F) BRUSH WORK $5.16 PER 100 SF G)DEBRIS REMOVAL $52.49 PER HOUR H) DUMP FEE 100% Added to orders with debris removal at 100% of the dump site charge. *Please note this program does not offer herbicide application as a method of abatement. The Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program The Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management and your city are working together to protect your community from fire. We need your help. Please read and follow the directions provided in this brochure regarding fire prevention on your property. The purpose of the Weed Abatement Program is to prevent fire hazards posed by vegetative growth and the accumulation of combustible materials. The Weed Abatement program is entirely funded from fees charged to residents. Fees will be assessed for any property in the program. This is to cover the cost of the compliance inspection for the property. Properties that fail the compliance inspection will be charged a failed inspection fee, even if the resident completes the weed abatement. If the property requires abatement by the County contractor, the property owner will be responsible for the actual cost of abatement plus an administrative fee. Properties that meet and maintain the minimum fire safety standards will not be charged other than the annual fee. Program staff annually inspect parcels at the beginning of the fire season, which is typically in March or April depending on your jurisdiction. If the parcel is not in compliance at the time of inspection, the property owner will be charged a failed inspection fee, and the owner will be sent a courtesy notice as a reminder to abate the weeds. If the weeds are not abated by the property owner, the work will be completed by the County contractor. The property owner will pay the contractor’s fees plus a County administrative fee. All fees will be included in your property tax bill. Our Goal Is Voluntary Compliance Property Owner’s Responsiblilities •Do not allow a fire hazard to exist on your property. The MinimumFire Safety Standards (MFSS) in this brochure give you guidelinesto follow in order to maintain your property and protect against afire hazard. Please contact our office if you need guidance orhave any questions regarding the requirements! •Make arrangements to have your property maintained throughoutthe year. Contractors can be found in the yellow pages. You maychoose to have the County contractor maintain your property. Acurrent price list is included in your packet. •Please complete and return the Reply Form provided in yourmailing packet by the date on the form. Indicate your preferenceregarding performance of weed abatement services. Program Staff Responsibilities •Weed Abatement Inspectors will perform periodic inspections on all parcels included in the Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program. Properties that fail the compliance inspection will be charged a failed inspection fee, even if the resident completes the weed abatement. •Inspectors will order the County contractor to perform allnecessary abatement work on any parcel where the MFSS are not met. An attempt will be made to give the owner a courtesy notice prior to releasing the work order. •The County contractor uses several methods of abatement including discing and handwork. The property owner is free to select whatever method they choose, provided the MFSS of allfederal, state and local laws are met. •The Weed Abatement Program will place inspection costs and the charges for County contractor services plus a County administrative fee on the property owner’s tax bill during the next fiscal year. Burrowing Owls Frequently Asked Questions Q. Why have I received an Abatement Notice? A. Typically, a property is placed on the program if a WeedAbatement Inspector identified a potential fire hazard on the property.Fire Departments and other agencies also submit complaints to theWeed Abatement Program. Q. What is required of me now that I am in the Program? A. All property owners are required to maintain their property free offire hazards throughout the year. Q. The grasses planted on my property are fire resistant. Are they exempt from the Weed Abatement program? A. No. Even grasses that possess some fire resistant qualities are not fire proof, and they can add fuel to any site that is subject to a fire. Additionally, fire resistant grasses are rarely found in a pure, homogenous stand but rather are usually found to occur mixed with other common introduced annual grasses that are highly flammable and hazardous in a fire event. Finally, many grasses occur in Santa Clara County and species identification is difficult in the field, especially after the spring when the reproductive portions required for identification have dried and dispersed. Weed Abatement Inspectorscan only focus on the presence of grasses and weeds on your property and the Minimum Fire Safety Standards, and not on grass species identification. Therefore, all grasses are required to be below6 inches in height. Q. What is the SC County Weed Abatement Program? A. This is a monitoring program and our primary objective isvoluntary compliance. See the first two paragraphs of this brochurefor further specifics. These small owls nest in abandoned ground squirrel burrows. Discing collapses the burrows and kills the young. These owls are listed as a state Species of Special Concern and are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If you suspect burrowing owls on your property you must use another form of weed abatement such as mowing or weed- eating. If you request the County perform abatement services, please notify program staff or your City if burrowing owls are known to exist on your property. More FAQ: Q. How long will I be on the Program? A. Your property will remain on the Program for three years. Ifno hazards are found during that time, your property may beremoved from the program. Q. How much will this cost me? A. There will be an annual fee to cover the cost of thecompliance inspection. If the parcel does not meet the MFSSwhen it is first inspected in the spring, or if work is required bythe County contractor, you will be charged additional fees. Our goal is to ensure that the MFSS are met at the lowest possible cost to the property owner. Q. How will I be billed? A. Any charges for the inspection and any abatement workperformed will appear as a special assessment on your nextproperty tax bill. Q. Why have you performed work on my property whilethe vegetation is still green? A. Grass, weeds or piles of combustible debris have beendeclared a public nuisance by your jurisdiction. Abating firehazards in the spring minimizes the volume of combustiblematerial before the hazards increase and dries out completely during the peak fire season. Q. Will you notify me prior to beginning abatement work? A. Property owners are responsible for preventing fire hazardson their property. If the MFSS have been met, but further workis necessary, you will receive notice prior to the County contractor performing the work. If the MFSS have not been met, an attempt will be made to give the owner a courtesynotice prior to initial abatement. Q. Where can I find someone to provide abatementservices? A. Weed Abatement contractors can be found in the YellowPages under “Weed Control Services” or “Discing Services”.You may have the County contractor perform the necessarywork; see your mailing packet for a current price list asadministrative costs are charged. Q. How can I get additional information or assistanceregarding the specific requirements for my property? A. Weed Abatement Inspectors are available to assist you andanswer your questions. Please call our Customer Service lineat (408) 282-3145 to schedule a consultation with programstaff or to obtain additional information. Q. I have Grazing Animals do I need to performabatement? A. Grazing animals do not absolve you of your responsibilitiesto provide a fire safe condition on your property. You will needto check with our office to determine if grazing is adequate or ifadditional work is required. County of Santa Clara Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency Weed Abatement Division 1553 Berger Drive Building 1 San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 282-3145 Fax (408) 286-2460 Board of Supervisors: Mike Wasserman, Cindy Chavez, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, S. Joseph Simitian County Executive: Jeffrey V. Smith December 7, 2020 IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ABATE WEEDS Dear Property Owner: To protect your property and the surrounding area from possible fire, your jurisdiction (city or County if in unincorporated areas) contracts with the County of Santa Clara to operate a Weed Abatement Program. You are receiving this notice and information because our staff has determined that your parcel is part of this Program. Please read the information carefully and contact us for clarification or additional information. Your jurisdiction has or will adopt a resolution declaring your property as one that may contain fire hazards from weeds or other debris. Following this action, your jurisdiction will conduct a public hearing to consider an abatement order, which would require you to remove any hazardous vegetation or combustible debris prior to the deadline in the attached abatement schedule. The public hearing will be held on the date and location stated in the attached notice and provides an opportunity for you to raise any objections or concerns with this requirement. If you believe your parcel includes an environmentally sensitive habitat, please check the box and provide additional information on the reply form to assist us in determining the best approach to abating your property. If, after the public hearing, the Weed Abatement Program is approved for your property, the County is authorized by your city and the California Health and Safety Code sections 14875-14922 to inspect your property to confirm that the property has been cleared of hazards according to Minimum Fire Safety Standards (see enclosed brochure). Inspections will begin after the abatement deadline for your jurisdiction. This notice does not relieve you of your responsibility to complete the necessary work prior to the deadline for your jurisdiction. You will be responsible for an annual fee of $84 to cover the cost of this compliance inspection. If you fail to complete the abatement work prior to our inspection of your property, you will be responsible for an inspection fee of $466 per parcel; and your property will be scheduled for abatement by the County contractor. You will be assessed a County administrative fee of $809 per parcel plus the County’s cost of abatement if the County completes this work. If you complete the abatement work before the County contractor, you will not incur further charges. The County will use the least costly method of abatement considering the physical characteristics of your property and any other environmental or related concerns. Fees are detailed in the attached price list. The total amount will be included as a special assessment on your property tax bill following confirmation of the charges by your city or the County if parcel is not in a city at a public hearing?. This hearing would be scheduled in late spring/summer 2021 with the exact date determined by your jurisdiction. Jurisdictions DocuSign Envelope ID: A2EF5503-9D8F-418D-88AF-78AB6CB1D0C0 post hearing information at a physical location (typically at a city hall building or other government center and most jurisdictions also publish this information on their websites) at least three days prior to the meeting. You can avoid all costs, other than the annual compliance fee, by completing the abatement work yourself according to Minimum Fire Safety Standards (see enclosed brochure) prior to the abatement deadline for your jurisdiction and maintaining the Minimum Fire Safety Standards for the duration of fire season, which typically runs March Through October. Parcels will be removed from the program after three consecutive years of voluntary compliance (work completed by property owner prior to the deadline and confirmed by our inspection). In preparation for this program, please complete and return the enclosed Reply Form by January 15, 2021so we are notified of your plans for abating your property. If you designate in your reply that you intend to abate the weeds yourself, you need to complete the abatement before the deadline listed on the attached abatement schedule and maintain fire-safe conditions for the duration of the fire season. Responding that you intend to provide maintenance yourself does not release you from this responsibility to have the maintenance completed before your deadline and repeated as necessary to maintain Minimum Fire Safe Standards. The County will abate hazardous vegetation as required after the deadline for your jurisdiction at your cost. Enclosed you will find the following information:  Reply Form specific to your property. Please complete and return by January 15, 2021.  Notice to Destroy Weeds informing you of an upcoming public meeting (that you must attend if you have any objections to the proposed removal of hazardous vegetation or debris from your property. Your Jurisdiction may offer the ability for you to participate in this meeting virtually; please confirm directly with your jurisdiction.  Weed Abatement Program Schedule for your city with current County abatement fees.  County of Santa Clara Weed Abatement Brochure. Please be aware that any abatement performed by the County must comply with all applicable regulations. If your property falls within an area designated as a possible habitat for burrowing owls or any other protected species of bird or animal, the methods used to remove vegetation may be regulated by specific laws or local ordinances. If you are no longer the owner of the property identified by this mailing, please notify us immediately at (408) 282-3145. If you sell your property after the date of this letter, it is your responsibility to notify the new owner and to include the obligation to pay any abatement costs in your agreement of sale. Without taking this action, you will be responsible for all-hazard abatement charges assessed to the property. Our goals are voluntary compliance with the Minimum Fire Safety Standards and all properties remain safe from fire. If you have any questions or need on-site advice to help you achieve compliance with the Minimum Fire Standards, please call us at (408) 282-3145. Sincerely, Jo Zientek, Director Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency DocuSign Envelope ID: A2EF5503-9D8F-418D-88AF-78AB6CB1D0C0 (over) TRA 03 Notice to Destroy Weeds NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on December 1, 2020, pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.20.020 of the Town Code of the Town of Los Gatos, the Town Council of said Town adopted a Resolution declaring that all weeds growing upon any private property or in any street, sidewalk or alley, as defined in Section 11.20.020 of such code, constitute a public nuisance, which nuisance must be abated by the destruction or removal thereof. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that property owners shall within thirty days after the adoption of such resolution, or within the time specified in a written agreement with the Director of Parks and Pubic Works of the Town of Los Gatos, or the Director of Parks and Pubic Works' representative, whichever time shall be later, remove all such weeds from their property, the abutting sidewalks, and the abutting half of the street in front, and alleys, if any, behind such property, and between the lot lines thereof as extended, or such weeds will be destroyed or removed and such nuisance abated by the Town of Los Gatos, in which case the cost of such destruction or removal will be assessed upon the lots and lands from which, or from the front or rear of which, such weeds shall have been destroyed or removed; and such cost will constitute a lien upon such lots or lands until paid, and will be collected upon the next tax roll upon which general municipal taxes are collected. All property owners having any objections to the proposed destruction or removal of such weeds are hereby notified to attend a meeting of the Town Council of such Town to be held in the Council Chambers of said Town at 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos, California, on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, when their objections will be heard and given due consideration. The language and format for this notice is required by California Health and Safety Code Sections 14891 Et. Seq. (over) LOS GATOS WEED ABATEMENT PROGRAM SCHEDULE January 19, 2021 Public hearing to consider objections to Abatement List. April 15, 2021 PARCEL ABATEMENT DEADLINE Parcel must be free from hazardous vegetation by this date or Inspector will order abatement. July-August, 2021 Assessment Hearing to protest abatement charges . (Date subject to change, please confirm with City Clerk) 2021 COUNTY WEED ABATEMENT FEES Properties in the Weed Abatement Program, you will be responsible for an annual inspection fee of $84.00 per parcel. Please be advised that the property owner of any parcel found to be non-compliant on or after the March 1st deadline will be charged a processing fee of $466.00 and the property will be scheduled for abatement by the County contractor. If you complete the abatement work before the County contractor performs the abatement, you will not incur further charges. Should the abatement work be performed by a County contractor, you will be assessed the contractor’s charges plus a County administrative fee of $809.00 per parcel. 2021 COUNTY CONTRACTOR’S WEED ABATEMENT PRICE LIST A) Disc Work** PARCEL SIZE: 1st Disc + 2nd Disc = Total Discs 0-12,500 sq.ft. $399.80 $160.73 $560.53 12,501sq.ft.- 43,560sq.ft. $399.80 $160.73 $560.53 Larger than 1 Acre $290.41 $141.83 $432.24 (PER ACRE) ** It is required that parcels be disced twice a year. The cost for the first discing is higher due to additional work normally required during the first discing. B) HANDWORK $5.40 PER 100 Square Feet (SF) C) FLAIL 6 Foot Mower $6.89 PER 1,000 SF MOWING 12 Foot Mower $6.89 PER 1,000 SF D) LOADER WORK $165.20 PER HOUR E) DUMP TRUCK $152.49 PER HOUR F) BRUSH WORK $5.16 PER 100 SF G) DEBRIS REMOVAL $52.49 PER HOUR H) DUMP FEE 100% Added to orders with debris removal at 100% of the dump site charge. *Please note this program does not offer herbicide application as a method of abatement. The Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program The Santa Clara County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency and your city are working together to protect your community from fire. We need your help. Please read and follow the directions provided in this brochure regarding fire prevention on your property. The purpose of the Weed Abatement Program is to prevent fire hazards posed by vegetative growth and the accumulation of combustible materials. The Weed Abatement program is entirely funded from fees charged to residents. Fees will be assessed for any property in the program. This is to cover the cost of the compliance inspection for the property. Properties that fail the compliance inspection will be charged a failed inspection fee, even if the resident completes the weed abatement. If the property requires abatement by the County contractor, the property owner will be responsible for the actual cost of abatement plus an administrative fee. Properties that meet and maintain the minimum fire safety standards will not be charged other than the annual fee. Program staff annually inspect parcels at the beginning of the fire season, which is typically in March or April depending on your jurisdiction. If the parcel is not in compliance at the time of inspection, the property owner will be charged a failed inspection fee, and the owner will be sent a courtesy notice as a reminder to abate the weeds. If the weeds are not abated by the property owner, the work will be completed by the County contractor. The property owner will pay the contractor’s fees plus a County administrative fee. All fees will be included in your property tax bill. Our Goal Is Voluntary Compliance Property Owner’s Responsiblilities • Do not allow a fire hazard to exist on your property. The Minimum Fire Safety Standards (MFSS) in this brochure give you guidelines to follow in order to maintain your property and protect against a fire hazard. Please contact our office if you need guidance or have any questions regarding the requirements! • Make arrangements to have your property maintained throughout the year. Contractors can be found in the yellow pages. You may choose to have the County contractor maintain your property. A current price list is included in your packet. • Please complete and return the Reply Form provided in your mailing packet by the date on the form. Indicate your preference regarding performance of weed abatement services. Program Staff Responsibilities • Weed Abatement Inspectors will perform periodic inspections on all parcels included in the Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program. Properties that fail the compliance inspection will be charged a failed inspection fee, even if the resident completes the weed abatement. • Inspectors will order the County contractor to perform all necessary abatement work on any parcel where the MFSS are not met. An attempt will be made to give the owner a courtesy notice prior to releasing the work order. • The County contractor uses several methods of abatement including discing and handwork. The property owner is free to select whatever method they choose, provided the MFSS of all federal, state and local laws are met. • The Weed Abatement Program will place inspection costs and the charges for County contractor services plus a County administrative fee on the property owner’s tax bill during the next fiscal year. Burrowing Owls Frequently Asked Questions Q. Why have I received an Abatement Notice? A. Typically, a property is placed on the program if a Weed Abatement Inspector identified a potential fire hazard on the property. Fire Departments and other agencies also submit complaints to the Weed Abatement Program. Q. What is required of me now that I am in the Program? A. All property owners are required to maintain their property free of fire hazards throughout the year. Q. The grasses planted on my property are fire resistant. Are they exempt from the Weed Abatement program? A. No. Even grasses that possess some fire resistant qualities are not fire proof, and they can add fuel to any site that is subject to a fire. Additionally, fire resistant grasses are rarely found in a pure, homogenous stand but rather are usually found to occur mixed with other common introduced annual grasses that are highly flammable and hazardous in a fire event. Finally, many grasses occur in Santa Clara County and species identification is difficult in the field, especially after the spring when the reproductive portions required for identification have dried and dispersed. Weed Abatement Inspectors can only focus on the presence of grasses and weeds on your property and the Minimum Fire Safety Standards, and not on grass species identification. Therefore, all grasses are required to be below 6 inches in height. Q. What is the SC County Weed Abatement Program? A. This is a monitoring program and our primary objective is voluntary compliance. See the first two paragraphs of this brochure for further specifics. These small owls nest in abandoned ground squirrel burrows. Discing collapses the burrows and kills the young. These owls are listed as a state Species of Special Concern and are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If you suspect burrowing owls on your property you must use another form of weed abatement such as mowing or weed- eating. If you request the County perform abatement services, please notify program staff or your City if burrowing owls are known to exist on your property. More FAQ: Q. How long will I be on the Program? A. Your property will remain on the Program for three years. If no hazards are found during that time, your property may be removed from the program. Q. How much will this cost me? A. There will be an annual fee to cover the cost of the compliance inspection. If the parcel does not meet the MFSS when it is first inspected in the spring, or if work is required by the County contractor, you will be charged additional fees. Our goal is to ensure that the MFSS are met at the lowest possible cost to the property owner. Q. How will I be billed? A. Any charges for the inspection and any abatement work performed will appear as a special assessment on your next property tax bill. Q. Why have you performed work on my property while the vegetation is still green? A. Grass, weeds or piles of combustible debris have been declared a public nuisance by your jurisdiction. Abating fire hazards in the spring minimizes the volume of combustible material before the hazards increase and dries out completely during the peak fire season. Q. Will you notify me prior to beginning abatement work? A. Property owners are responsible for preventing fire hazards on their property. If the MFSS have been met, but further work is necessary, you will receive notice prior to the County contractor performing the work. If the MFSS have not been met, an attempt will be made to give the owner a courtesy notice prior to initial abatement. Q. Where can I find someone to provide abatement services? A. Weed Abatement contractors can be found in the Yellow Pages under “Weed Control Services” or “Discing Services”. You may have the County contractor perform the necessary work; see your mailing packet for a current price list as administrative costs are charged. Q. How can I get additional information or assistance regarding the specific requirements for my property? A. Weed Abatement Inspectors are available to assist you and answer your questions. Please call our Customer Service line at (408) 282-3145 to schedule a consultation with program staff or to obtain additional information. Q. I have Grazing Animals do I need to perform abatement? A. Grazing animals do not absolve you of your responsibilities to provide a fire safe condition on your property. You will need to check with our office to determine if grazing is adequate or if additional work is required.