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19 Staff Report -Hazardous Vegetation Abatement (Weeds)~pW N 0 !ps • ~ A.~pS DATE COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT JANUARY 17, 2006 MEETING DATE: 1/17/06 ITEM NO. G~ DESK ITEM TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGE SUBJECT: 'PUBLIC HEARING -HAZARDOUS VEGETATION ABATEMENT (WEEDS, ADOPT RESOLUTION ORDERING ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (WEEDS) Attached is a letter from Robert Petrokas (14851 Las Flores Lane) objecting to the proposed Weed Abatement Program and Schedule of Compliance. Staff will follow up with the County Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management and the County Fire Department to discuss the issues. raised by the resident, in general, and to request that they contact the resident regarding the timing issue for his compliance, specifically. This does not affect staff's recommendation to adopt the resolution ordering the abatement of hazardous weeds. Attachments: Letter from Robert F. Petrokas dated January 16, 2006, with attachments Distribution: Greg Van Wassenhove, Agricultural Commissioner, County of Santa Clara, Department of Agriculture and Enviroiunental Management, 1553 Berger Drive, Building #1, San Jose, CA 95112 Ray Moreno, Program Coordinator, Agricultural Commissioner, County of Santa Clara, Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management, 1553 Berger Drive, Building 41, San Jose, CA 95112 Robert F. Petrokas, 14851 Las Flores Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95032 kt et/,L-,w S 5~) PREPARED BY: JOHN E. CURTIS Director of Parks and Public Works Reviewed by: p S Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Clerk Administrator Finance J Community Development Revised: 1/17/06 3:15 pm Reformatted: 5/30/02 N:\B&E\COUNCIL REPORTS\WEED11706.public.hearing.desk.item.wpd -4,-, P,v, L~-, tAj,,o r n ECI I JAN 117 2006 ~ VO.R umwN COT T(' O Cut., 1/16/2006 Town Council Town of Los Gatos 110 East Main St. Lost Gatos, CA 95030 Re: Notice of Objection to Los Gatos Weed Abatement Program and Schedule (January 17, 2006 Town Council Meeting Agenda Item 419) Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: The purpose of this letter is to document my objections to your proposed weed abatement program and schedule of compliance. Let me say that my impression of the documents you sent to properly owners is that they were meant to intimidate and are not conducive to productively solving the problem. I also own property in a town very similar to Los Gatos (Ashland, Oregon). Please compare the Weed Abatement notice document from Ashland (Attachment 1) to that sent to Los Gatos residents. Note that the Ashland document and the accompanying ordinance (Attachment 2) are informative and flexible as to the timing of the job, recognizing that some local micro climates will require later weeding than others. Also note that the Ashland program helpfully provides a list of acceptable weed abatement contractors and does not threaten property owners with overpriced discing services. I use one of the listed contractors. He chooses the best time for weeding my property (within the time requirements), does the work, bills me, and everyone is satisfied. If my contractor thinks a second service is needed (almost never), he notifies me. If my contractor has a compliance question, he contacts the City of Ashland. I never have had a complaint from the City of Ashland. The City of Ashland provides a period of compliance from May 15-June 15 for weed abatement, not the single April 15 deadline you want to impose. This is a much more reasonable approach. My Los Gatos home has an orchard that is at the bottom of a hill with sandstone formations, which weep water late into the spring. The orchard is sometimes too marshy for walking on April 15, let alone discing, so you would be imposing a requirement I could not meet in some years. Ashland's "Spring" starts about two weeks later than ours, which would correspond to a compliance date range of April 30-May 30 in Los Gatos. Both Los Gatos and Ashland are similar climactic zones. Hillside regions of Los Gatos are the same climatic zone as Ashland (Ref: Sunset Gardening Book climate zone maps). Mean annual precipitation levels are 22.64" in Los Gatos (Attachment 3) and 19.76" in Ashland (Attachment 4). Temperatures in both areas are also similar (Attachments 4 and 5). Therefore, I would consider a program like the one used in Ashland completely feasible for Los Gatos. In summary, I would like to suggest the following for the Los Gatos Weed abatement program: 1) A reasonable period of compliance, as opposed to a single deadline, should be provided, recognizing that there are different micro climates and soil conditions within the town boundaries. I suggest April 30-May 30. 2) The town should develop an informative and non threatening weed abatement notice. This notice should provide a list of acceptable weed abatement contractors to help facilitate compliance. Perhaps the list of contractors used by the Town of Los Gatos would be a good first step. 3) Contact the Department of Community Development (541-552-2046) of the City of Ashland for other suggestions for an effective and citizen friendly Weed Abatement Program. 4) Use threats as only a last resort. Believe it or not, most of the citizens of this town are willing to do what is necessary to keep it neat and safe. My wife and I have been good citizens of this town for 27 years. We try to keep up our property and have never had a complaint from the Town about weed abatement. Please give us a reasonable weed abatement program to work with. Sincerely, Robert F. Petrokas 14851 Las Flores Lane Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408)356-6795 ate. ~ f n~~? THE CITY OF ASHLAND '°oF'ASy REQUESTS YOUR ASSISTANCE pRFGpr1,,• Despite recent weather conditions, the dry summer season is quickly approaching. Conditions have been ripe for the growth of vegetation. As things dry out, the result will be high grasses and weeds that are a potential fire safety problem. As most property owner are aware, the City of Ashland has an ordinance in place that addresses the potenial safety hazard created by weeds. The weed abatement ordinance (AMC 9.04) requires that tall grasses and weeds be cut and removed from all properties within the city limits by June 15 and again during the remainder of the summer if and when future growth occurrs. (Ornamental grasses and landscaped areas excluded) Also, please be aware that the parkrows and other right of way areas abutting your property require some maintnenence as well. Your attention to these items will make a substantial improvement to the overall fire safety in our community, as well as enhancing the appearance of the the neighborhood in which your property is located. - If you have already taken care of the vegetation on your property, please disregard this notice and acepet our appreciation. If you are no longer the responsible party for the property listed on the mailing label or if the property has been developed, please notify us so that we can remove your name and property from the notification list. Any -questiuns; comments or corrections concerning this notification can be directed to - - Adam Hanks, Code Compliance with the Department of Community Development, at 552- 2046. Outside of normal busienss hours, this number will be available for messages. All voice mail messages requesting a callback will be returned within the next business day; otherwise, please leave a detailed message including the property location, owner name and comment FIRE SEASON IS NEAR The upcoming fire season, which is declared by the Oregon State Department of Forestry, will quickly be upon us. The ban on open burning in Ashland coincides with the declariation of fire season. Residents with yard debris can dispose of it at Bio- Mass, chip orshred the material or store for the fall open burn season, which begins at the end of the summer fire season (usually around the 1st of October). For complete regulations on burning and fire season restrictions, please contact Ashland Fire & Rescue at 482-2770. e 4 WEED ABATEMENT NOTICE The following list is provided for your reference. The list does not represent all weed abatement and landscape maintenance contractors available for your use, nor is it a recommendation of the City of Ashland. For additional references, consult the yellow pages. The Brushbuster 248 N Second St Ashland, OR 97520 DLT Maintenance 2914 Neville Ln Medford, OR 97501 H & R Contracting 323 Ash St Central Point, OR 97502 Pete Seda, Certified Arborist 1257 Siskiyou By #224 Ashland, OR 97520 The Grass Skirt Kathie Svaren Thomas Tractor Service 1750 Easy St Medford, OR 97504 Jim Ward 51 S Stage Rd Medford, OR 97501 552-1083 858-4320 779-9777 773-6067 664-9208 482-8371 776-6796 482-3548 776-8457 535-1477 WEED ABATEMENT COMPLIANCE PROCEDURE May 15th Initial notification letter sent out to all affected property owners from previous years database. June 15th Due date for completion of initial weed abatement requirement per Ashland Municipal Code 9.04. June 16th to June 20th Site inspections conducted, second notices mailed to property owners who have not yet complied. July 1st Properties not yet in compliance will be posted with a notice signed by the Fire Marshal and the City Recorder indicating that a lien, in the amount of the contracted cost for removal, will be placed against the property if the weeds haven't been abated by the posted deadline. . Although the Municipal Code has provisions for ultimately obtaining compliance, the process works most efficiently when property owners respond in a timely manner, which has occurred with only a few exceptions. Cl y Ol lysliiauU, V1eVOn - 14h nillpal COUV Page 1 v1 i Municipal Code Welcome to the City of Ashland Municipal Code Online. You may select from the list of Titles, Chapters, and Sections listed on the left. Simply click on a Title to reveal it's Chapters. Next, click on a Chapter to view the Sections listed beneath it. Click a Section title to view the text of that Section. You may also search for selected code Sections by using the Search engine, located on the far left side of this page. Search for the text of any code Section by entering a key word in the "Search Code by Keyword" field, and then click the "FIND" button. 1 General Provisions 2Administration 3 Conditions of Employment B 4 Revenue and Finance @ 6 Business Licenses and Regulations 9 Health and Sanitation 9.04 Weed Abatement 9.04.010 Weeds Declared Nuisance 9.04.020 Removal - Responsibility 9.04.030 Violation - Penalty 19.04.040 Notice to Abate - Contents ! 9.04.050 Notice to Abate-Service-Removal by City-Lien 8 9.08 Nuisances 9.12 Nuisance--Junk 6 9.16 Nuisance--boas S 9.18 Chronic Nuisance Property 9.20 Nuisance--Polystyrene Foam 9.22 Opportunity to Recycle 9.24 Woodstove Curtailment and Opacity Limitations ED 9.28 Pesticide Policy 10 Public Peace, Morals, and Safety 11 Vehicles and Traffic 13 Streets and Sidewalks 14 Public Utilities 15 Buildings and Construction Q 16 Telecommunications + 18 Land Use http://www.ashland.or,us/Code.asp?CodeID=2385&Print=True 1/16/2006 ,..C A „1.1,.....1 ll.:,.,r,.... AT,,{f 1 f'-A VlLy Vl t1J1llCL11U~ V1G~'Vll - 1V1U,LlllJlpal VVUe Page 11 of 2 9.04 Weed Abatement 9.04.010 Weeds Declared Nuisance The growth of grass, weeds, shrubbery, and vegetation upon vacant and other lots and parcels of land, and the streets and alleys abutting thereon, in the City, during the summer season constitutes a fire menace, and greatly increases the fire hazard in the City, and is declared to be a nuisance. (Ord. 1141 S1, 1951) 9.04.020 Removal - Responsibility The owner, agent of owner and/or occupant of any lot or parcel of land within the limits of the City of Ashland shall cut and remove the weeds, grass, bushes and shrubbery, except ornamental bushes and shrubbery, growing thereon, or on adjacent and abutting streets, avenues, and alleys, between May 15th and June 15th of each year and shall, where the same grows a second growth, cut the same a second time during the summer and in case of failure to do so, said person or persons shall be subject to fine and/or imprisonment and the City may cause such vegetation to be cut and removed and the expense incurred on account thereof shall be chargeable as a lien upon said lot or parcel as aforesaid. (Ord. 1141 S2, 1951) 9.04.030 Violation - Penalty Any owner, agent of the owner, or occupant of any premises violating any of the provisions of this chapter is punishable as prescribed in Section 1.08.020. (Ord. 1810 (part), 1974; Ord. 1141 S3, 1951; Ord. 1956, 1978) 9.04.040 Notice to Abate - Contents In case of failure or neglect of any such agent, owner or occupant to cut weeds and grass and shrubbery as herein provided, the City Recorder shall cause to be served on such agent, owner, and/or occupant a notice, describing the property with convenient certainty by its legal description or by the street number of the house, requiring such owner or agent and/or occupant to cut said weeds, grass, and shrubbery within ten (10) days from the service thereof, or that the City will require the same to be done, and the cost thereof charged as a lien against said property. (Ord. 1141 S4, 1951). 9.04.050 Notice to Abate-Service-Removal by City-Lien Such notice shall be served upon such owner, agent, and/or occupant in person if found upon said premises or within the City, and in case said owner, agent, and/or occupant cannot be found in person within the City after reasonable diligence and inquiry, such notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place upon said premises, and a copy thereof mailed to the last known post office address of such owner, agent, or occupant, if any such address is known, and return of service shall be filed with the Recorder; and if at the end of ten (10) days from the giving of such notice, such owner, agent, and/or occupant, has failed and neglected to cut and remove such vegetation, the Fire Chief shall cause the same to be done and shall file with the Council a verified itemized statement of the expenditure occasioned thereby, and the Recorder shall cause notice to be served upon the owner, agent, or occupant in the manner hereinbefore described, such statement will be considered and determined by the Council and a lien declared http://www.ashland.or.us/CodePrint.asp?Branch=True&CodeID=2385 1/16/2006 City of As"niand, Oregon - P~iuriicipal Code Page 2 of 2 A_++.ckvv,P_~ -2- -3 upon the property involved, the time of which meeting shall be specified in the notice, more than ten (10) days from the giving of the same, and the Council shall at such meeting hear any objections to such statement, and by ordinance determine the correctness of the same, and declare such corrected amount a lien upon the property benefitted and instruct the Recorder to enter the same upon the City docket of liens in the same manner and with the same effect that street improvement liens and sewer liens are entered, and said lien shall have the same force and effect as such street improvement and sewer liens, and shall be certified to the county assessor in the same manner. (Ord. 1141 S5, 1951). http://www.ashland.or.us/CodePrint.asp?Branch=True&CodeID=2385 1/16/2006 e y ~ e l N N M . q ~ > O N c6 ~ d 'i W ° C z a U ~R Pa O i ei ~ .p G O a c m + eC q O z w ~ ~ 1~1 -F~ a d rr~~ FBI M 0 w W ►~M V1 0 ~ ~ N N W 0 C bA V C m Fi u A 'L e on ~ ~ C C 'C o e ..y V ti O G-d a t ~ A d R a A w Q O O H `N z z 'G U y O ~/1 V' O N T M W tt M O CN O vl M 00 00 O O O l~ n ~ ~ ~ c0 N N oo M M c+i O Vt N b l~ W 7 ~ ~ ~ M 0 N cV 10 16 o ° rl- m C% o o v e o o n C V U a>i A a ~ O 00 O wi. N 7 m V; O O O O O v1 N M N oo c0 O1 G~ R u C'i co ~ O n N vl O O O O O N O ~ w ~ M N M N o ° ~ o d ;w CO m M N cli N y ~i •rr~ iii N s~ 7 fV ~ C y v 0 0 M Vl O O O O O V' 7 LI y.~ a y,~ d O h M 0 m O Cl O o O N cD d; N N cO O O O O O O O v-i ~n O~ N N nl 01 00 N O O O O O M M ~ Y d . . F O M ~O L~ O O O O O „y c0 M O O O O O O O M O .M-i CT <t O O O M O N l~ O O O O O O 'O O O O O O O N O oo M II C 01 N O O O O N b ICI V! 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O o a ~ a Q N ~ b0 y ~ w Cd ~ r L. y 'b y ~ ~ s~ N N c~j o ^ ~ O O ^ U co U 0 N QAq +U~* V' Oregon.com '`JVeather - Soo- ffhern. Oregon `YV eeffier ii1JLVI, Page i -_f? k4aCLA KA&4 4- reQO the Rexperience starts here... Home > Oregon Weather > Southern Oregon Weather Trends Seasonal Expectations: What's it going to be like in Southern Oregon Weather Rules of Thumb Oregon? George H. Taylor, the state climatologist with the Oregon Climate Service, provides detailed statistical information concerning Oregon Planning a trip to Oregon? Here's some information to help you weather patterns. Here are a few facts on anticipate the kinds of weather conditions you may experience. which to gauge what kind of whether you may face. First, let's clear up the "rainy Oregon" perception. Yes, it rains a lot in Oregon if you're visiting during the months of November, • July is consistently the driest month December, January, February or March. throughout Oregon, If you plan your trip in July, August or September, you can expect wonderful and dry days. It's impossible, of course, to predict what the weather will be like a few months from now. Looking back at past weather data, however, helps create some clear pictures. The following charts show the average daily high and low temperatures each month for selected locations throughout the state. The charts also list the average monthly rainfall (and snowfall where appropriate). These averages where established by the Oregon Climate Service for the years 1971-2000. • Western Oregon receives the bulk of its annual precipitation during winter. In fact, there's measurable precipitation more than half the winter days. In summer, only 10 to 15% of the days are wet. • Although there is some variation from north to south, the wettest months tend to be the November-March period. • Although rain can occur during the warm season, average totals during those months are generally lower than during winter. • East of the Cascade Mountains, the monthly rainfall averages are much more uniform. Some locations receive more rain in summer than in winter. • Precipitation is highest near the coast and in higher elevations, and increasingly lower as you move eastward. Southern Oregon Temperature and Precipitation Averages -1971-2000 Oregon Climate Service Temperatures are daily averages; precipitation and snowfall are monthly average inches Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Ashland High Temp 47.5 53.0 56.8 62.5 70.1 78.3 86.7 86.1 79.5 67.6 52.4 46.3 Low Temp 29.1 31.0 32.8 35.2 40.4 45.6 49.6 48.8 42.8 36.4 31.8 28.6 Precip 2.49 1.92 2.09 1.68 1.55 .92 .51 .61 .88 1.46 2.85 2.80 Crater Lake High Temp 34.4 34.7 37.0 41.8 49.0 57.6 67.5 68.7 62.3 52.5 38.0 34.6 Low Temp 17.7 18.4 19.0 22.0 27.5 33.2 39.7 40.3 35.9 30.1 22.0 18.3 Precip 9.81 8.47 7.79 5.34 3.50 2.03 .95 1.07 2.21 4.49 10.53 10.50 Snow 83.45 82.30 74.91 45.16 18.87 4.34 .30 .22 3.99 18.96 71.10 79.84 Grants Pass High Temp 47.4 54.1 59.8 65.6 73.1 80.8 88.8 89.0 82.7 70.4 53.3 45.7 KsK est Hoste Pet Fr LTRAy Mai Trave EE Trans yacat Photo Resta lk$4 RECR Camp Snow E9 Fishin RE G01f Winds Oregc 111 Cratei http://www.oregon.com/weather/history_southem.cfrn 1/16/2006 00 N m N 1n ~ ~ o m A d R > A N u ~ C p G U ~ ODA d FBI r„I a i ' c U ~ ' e a " ~ o a C ~ nS te _ S C d QI d z w z M C~ a d d PL, tn I-z en ii W Z 4) 0 bA ~ N N Z O, TT^~^ vi U rA z O y u y^ a ~ ~ U F U IF1 O R O W 6 Q C C O O e M ~ zz v~ U r O o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 c V VJ C II N oo n O O O O O M N O V N m O O O O O O O O O O O O O ~ II o O) p o 0 0 0 0 0 o p 10 ~c N N ,c, m m m m m m m m m N m ~Q II O O O O V1 O r M N h V O o d ' A a N vi 06 t-: vi p m u z x ~J II 0 O O O O Co N ~p y~ O O A .w M v ' O O 00 N ~ M p p O O 7 u A F bD Ir C O O C` m m Wl m T N N vl 'd' N N 10 y Vl M M N M N m ~!1 N A x l~ .0 C, l~ T dl 00 00 G7 D\ D\ d 01 G\ T CT 01 rn CT Q\ Ch CT T Oi Q CT W e y N M ~ rn oo t~ N m 7 0o M M p - ~ L d ~n l~ O N ~C M t0 00 N o0 N N CC.~ 7 7 v1 ~n ~n ~o ~D ~D 'V v1 V' mot' V N , N N O 1' 7 ~D W ~ N N Q N N N N N L 41 N m l~ N ~D 00 CO O O d V O a ~ n b Ql d ~ rn a rn rn rn rn rn rn rn a\ rn rn Q Vl oo l~ + + aD y N N O m m M m N a a m v IIYY 00 O~ l~ 00 01 00 01 W Q, Q~ l~ W ~ CT Oi O1 T Ot ~ Cil Q\ G\ 01 Cl CT ti ~ ~ d m N ' Q 07 ~ ~ n ~ N r lti C• V 1 Vl V1 ~O ~O l~ V1 V l C N N N N O N Q m Y N N O ' N a v1 O Vl 00 ~ ~O Q~ Di D\ V G1 W Q~ O N ~D 01 l~ ~ Vl O~ vl O1 00 Q~ h 01 vl 01 ~ ti cK v m + w 10 m r- ON + m- ~ ~ oo ~ o r -1 0 o a ~p C C L~ 00 N b CTi m O~ Gl ~O N d: ,a i, S" oo V ul d' v~ ~n N ~O ~D 10 O l~ T to I~ ~D N 10 M In oo p~ C 00 ~ Q\ d. N O 00 M It? "t ~D ti 'W A 00 M d' [V 7 7 w 7 cl Vl vi v~ ~n M V] w 7 N 7 00 M 7 RC v1 ~F Vl t~ C\ 00 't 0) vl ~D - N N 00 N V1 O r V'1 co Vt 00 d' 00 N v1 7 10 oo v N r A w [ h w ~ ~ ~ ti ti ~ ~ O z q ° 0 O N 00 d' O\ "C O U m ~ O ~ z O CA O O O ~ C ~ O U w A N .b 'C3 ti 0 U O O O N 'L7 A M O ~ bA N Y ~ U O ~ 666 N .Ui O 07 O O o b o ~ A ~ 4 + ~ U N O O N w ai A H