11 Staff Report - Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Brush)~owH 0 MEETING DATE: 813109
ITEM NO:
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
S G AZ
DATE: JULY 21, 2009
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH)
ADOPT RESOLUTION OVERRULING OBJECTIONS AND ORDERING
HAZARDOUS VEGETATION ABATEMENT (BRUSH)
RECOMMENDATION:
I. Open and hold the Public Hearing.
2. Close the Public Hearing.
3. Adopt Resolution (Attachment 1) overruling objections and ordering hazardous vegetation
abatement (brush).
BACKGROUND:
On May 4, 2009, the Town Council passed a resolution declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a
public nuisance and set June 15, 2009 as the date for the public hearing. The required posting
and publishing has been done - (Exhibit A). Property owners have been noticed by mail to
remove brush in accordance with fire safety standards - (Attachment 2). The hearing is an
opportunity for those objecting to the potential charges to come forward and be heard.
nTgCt rggTnNr-
As part of the annual Brush Abatement Program with Santa Clara County, the Town annually
declares hazardous vegetation (brush) a nuisance due to fire danger. The Town then enters into a
contract with the County, along with other municipalities, to abate the hazardous vegetation
(brush) not removed by property owners. The focus of this program is the identification of
perennial vegetation, brush, trees, and shrubs in designated high fire hazard areas.
PREPARED BY
TODD CAPURSO
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by:Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney
Clerk Administrator finance Community Development
N:IPPWIMANAGEMENTICOUNCILICO[JNCIL REPOATM009 reporOAugusl 31Brush,PubHearing.090309.doe
PAGE 2
JULY 21, 2009
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH)
Attached for information is a Town Council Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Schedule (brush)
for 2009 (Attachment 3).
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends approval of resolution overruling objections and ordering hazardous
vegetation abatement (brush).
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact.
AtFnr.IiinPntc
1. Resolution overruling objections and ordering abatement (with Exhibit A - Notice of Public
Hearing)
2. Letter from Santa Clara County Fire Department to property owners
3. Town Council Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Schedule for 2009
Di ctrihTTfiinn
Dirk Mattern, Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention, Central Fire District, 14700 Winchester
Boulevard, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Greg Van Wassenhove, Director, County of Santa Clara, Department of Agriculture and
Resource Management, 1553 Berger Drive, Building #1, San Jose, CA 95112
Moe Kumre, Program Manager, County of Santa Clara Office of the Agricultural Commissioner,
Agriculture and Environmental Management, 1553 Berger Drive, San Jose, CA 95112
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
OVERRULING OBJECTIONS AND ORDERING
ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH) AS A PUBLIC NUISANCE
WHEREAS, on May 4, 2009, the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos adopted
Resolution 2000-046, entitled, "A RESOLUTION DECLARING HAZARDOUS
VEGETATION (BRUSH) A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND PROVIDING FOR ABATEMENT",
directing the giving of notice that hazardous vegetation (brush) will be abated by the Town and
the cost thereof made a lien upon the private properties from which they are removed if the
owners thereof fail to do so, and establishing the June 15, 2009 meeting, as the time for a public
hearing by the Town Council, during which all property owners having any objections to the
proposed destruction or removal of such hazardous vegetation (brush) might be heard and given
due consideration; and
WHEREAS, that the Director of Parks and Public Works of the Town of Los Gatos gave
notice of the passage of said Resolution No. 2009-046, by causing copies of the NOTICE OF
PUBLIC HEARING TO ABATE HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH) in the same form as
annexed to said Resolution No. 2009-046 to be published in the Los Gatos Weekly Times, a
newspaper of general circulation published in the Town of Los Gatos on May 27, 2009, and June
3, 2009, respectively, and causing said notice (referred to as Exhibit A) to be posted on May 27,
2009 in two (2) prominent places in the Town of Los Gatos; and
WHEREAS, the Town has given Notice to all property owners found in non-
compliance; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to said resolution and notice, the Town Council conducted a
public hearing this date with respect thereto, at which time all property owners having any
objections to the proposed destruction or removal of such attest:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Los
Gatos, County of Santa Clara, State of California, that all objections, if any, to the proposed
destruction or removal of such hazardous vegetation (brush) are hereby overruled, and the
Director of Parks and Public Works, or his representative, is hereby ordered to abate such
nuisance, or cause the same to be abated, by having the hazardous vegetation (brush) destroyed
or removed by cutting, dicing, chemical spraying, or any other method which may hereafter be
determined by the Town Council; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Director of Parks and Public Works of the
Town of Los Gatos, or his authorized agent or representative, and the Clerk Administrator, are
directed to proceed with the matters set forth in Section 11.20.010 through Section 11.20.045 of
the Los Gatos Town Code.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of
Los Gatos held on the 3rd day of August, 2009, by the following vote:
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
AYES:
NAYS :
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SIGNED:
ATTEST:
MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
CLERK ADMINISTRATOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
Exhibit A
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos has set
Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers, 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos,
California, as the time and place for a Public hearing to consider declaring that hazardous
conditions exist on the properties listed and authorize the County contractor to perform the brush
abatement work necessary to comply with the standards.
INTERESTED PERSONS may appear and be heard at this hearing. Please be advised that if
you challenge the nature of any of the above in court, you may be limited to raising only those
issues you or someone else raised at the Public Hearing described in this notice, or in written
correspondence delivered to the Clerk Department prior to the hearing.
Isl Jackie Rose
Clerk Administrator
PUB: LG 5/27/09 & 613109.
Attachment 2
G AMA
I
GWflYE9Y0.9Zfl9~~
EIRE DEPARTMENT
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
14700 Winchester Btud., Los Gatos, CA 95032-1818
(408) 378-4010 9 (405) 378 9342 (fax) • www.sccid.org
God IraN
7"
n~ecnat4d"
Inlernallonally Ao w&11e6
Agency
April 29, 2009
Dear property owner,
Your property, which is located in the Wildland--Urban Interface Fire
Area, was recently inspected by the Santa Clara County Fire
Department. At that time your property was found to be non-
compliant with Wildland Safety Regulations. Enclosed is a copy of
the notice that was left at the residence and indicates the corrections
that are necessary,
Please note that a public hearing will be held during the Town Of Los
Gatos council meeting on June 15, 2009 at 7:00 PM. At that time, all
properties identified by the Fire Department as being non-compliant
with Wildland Safety Regulations will be declared to have hazardous
conditions requiring abatement. An additional inspection of all
identified properties will be conducted after the hearing and prior to
ordering any abatement work. If your property is found to be in
compliance at the time of the re-inspection or upon the arrival of the
abatement contractor, no work will be done and nc charges will be
imposed.
If you are interested in having the County of Santa Clara do any
brush or weed removal or wish to have an inspection for a cost
estimate, please contact the Hazardous Vegetation Department at
(408) 282-3145. For your convenience, a price list indicating the rates
for the County Contractor is included with this notice.
ff you should have any questions about the information on this
notice, please contact the Fire Prevention Division of the Santa Clara
County Fire Department at (408) 378-4010.
Organized as the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District
Seruing Sun Ea Clara County and tiie communltles of Campbell Cupertino, Los Altos,
Los Altos Hifis, Los Gatos, Monte Serena, Morgan Hl 1, and Saratoga
Attachment 2
2009 COUNTY CONTRACTOR'S ABATEMENT PRICE LIST
Prices INCLUDE a 150% County Administrative Fee
A) Disc Work"
PARCEL SIZE;
I" Disc +
2"a Disc
= Total Discs
0 -12,500 sq.ft.
8 1.
80.18
$882.01
12,501sq.ft. - 43,560sq.ft,
801.83
106.94
908.73
Larger than 1 Acre
534.5
106.90
'641,45 (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.
E) HANDWORK
C) FLAIL MOWING
D) LOADER WORK
E) DUMP TRUCK
F) BRUSH WORK
G) BOOM MOWING
G) DUMP FEF
113.60 PER PERSON. PER HOUR
6 Foot Mower $192.43 PFR HOUR
12 Fool. Mower $384.88 PER DOUR
$334.10 PER HOUR
334.10 PER HOUR
113.60 . E. HOUR
$441.00 PER HOUR
100%
Added to orders with debris removal at 100% of the dumpsite charge.
I-PIease note-this program does not offer herbicide application as a method of
abatement
Attaclilwit 3
.~D~i K QF
fps GA~pS
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SCHEDULED TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS THAT RE UM PUBLIC HEARINGS
HAZARDOUS VEGETATION ABATEMENT (BRUSH}
May 4, 2009 Hazardous Vegetation Abateinent Brush
A. Adopt resolution declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a public nuisance and
providing for their abatement.
B. Set June 15, 2009, as a public bearing on this aruaual prograrn.
June 15, 2009 Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Brush)
Adopt resolution overruling objections and ordering hazardous vegetation abatement
(brush).
1. Open and hold the Public Hearing.
2. Close the Public Hearing.
3. Adopt Resolution overruling objections and ordering hazardous vegetation
abatement (brush).
Augost 3, 2009 Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Brush)
A. Conduct Publie Hearing to consider the report of the County Agricultrual
Commissioner (available in the Clerk Departinent) on the abatement of hazardous
vegetation (brash) for the 2009-2010 season,
B. Adopt resolution approving said report (available in Clerk Depat-tment).