Staff Report
PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/02/2017
ITEM NO: 6
DATE: APRIL 14, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH) A
PUBLIC NUISANCE AND PROVIDING FOR ABATEMENT AND SETTING JUNE
20, 2017 AS A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR PROTESTS ON THIS ANNUAL
PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a public nuisance
and providing for abatement and setting June 20, 2017 as a public hearing to hear protests on
this annual program.
BACKGROUND:
Hazardous vegetation (brush) poses a fire threat during the summer months and property
owners are required to address and control this issue. To eliminate hazardous vegetation and
reduce fire danger, the Town annually adopts a Hazardous Vegetation Abateme nt Program.
The Town conducts this program with Santa Clara County (County) as the inspection and
enforcement agent.
Under the program, the County notifies property owners within the Wildland Urban Interface
area of the required fire hazard abatement measures, giving the property owner an opportunity
to abate the hazardous vegetation. If the property owner does not address the hazardous
vegetation within the prescribed amount of time, the County’s contractor addresses the
necessary work and the County assesses the cost on the owner's property tax bill.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH) A
PUBLIC NUISANCE AND PROVIDING FOR ABATEMENT AND SETTING JUNE 20,
2017 AS A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR PROTESTS ON THIS ANNUAL PROGRAM
APRIL 14, 2017
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\05-02-17\Hazardous Vegetation Brush\Staff Report FINAL.docx 4/27/2017 9:19 AM SH
DISCUSSION:
The attached resolution must be adopted by Council to initiate the annual Hazardous
Vegetation Abatement Program. The County manages all follow up and remedies. Be low is the
scheduled outline for the program:
February 2017 County Fire notifies property owners within the Wildland Urban Interface
area of required fire hazard abatement measures (Attachment 2).
April-June Brush inspections are conducted by County Fire with a June 1st deadline
for compliance.
May 2, 2017 Town Council passes resolution declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a
nuisance and sets a public hearing June 20, 2017.
May-June 2017 Town publishes (twice) notice of June 20, 2017 public hearing for Town
Council.
June 20, 2017 Town Council holds public hearing and authorized county staff to correct
issues for non-compliant properties.
June-July 2017 Follow-up inspections are conducted by the County and those properties
which have not been cleared of hazardous vegetation (brush) are abated
by the county contractor.
July 2017 County returns account and assessment list of charges for work done by
contractor.
July 2017 Town publishes (twice) notice of August 1, 2017 public hearing for Town
Council.
August 1, 2017 Town Council holds public hearing on any proposed hazardous vegetation
(brush) abatement charges and Council considers a resolution confirming
or modifying assessments.
August 2, 2017 Clerk Administrator submits a list of charges as a special assessment to
the County Tax Collector.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (BRUSH) A
PUBLIC NUISANCE AND PROVIDING FOR ABATEMENT AND SETTING JUNE 20,
2017 AS A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR PROTESTS ON THIS ANNUAL PROGRAM
APRIL 14, 2017
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\05-02-17\Hazardous Vegetation Brush\Staff Report FINAL.docx 4/27/2017 9:19 AM SH
CONCLUSION:
Adopt a resolution declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a public nuisance and providing for
abatement and setting June 6, 2017 as a public hearing to hear protests on this annual
program.
COORDINATION:
This program is coordinated with the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the County of
Santa Clara Weed Abatement Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds are provided in the FY 2017-18 Budget (Program 5101) to cover the cost of publishing the
legal notice.
Attachments:
1. Resolution declaring hazardous vegetation (brush) a public nuisance, providing for
abatement and setting June 6, 2017 as a public hearing to hear protests on this annual
program.
2. Letter sent from County to property owners within the Wildland Urban Interface area.
Distribution:
John Justice, Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention, Central Fire District, 14700 Winchester Boulevard, Los
Gatos, CA 95030
Moe Kumre, Manager, Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, County of Santa Clara, 1553
Berger Drive, San Jose, CA 95112