09 Staff Report
PREPARED BY: Stefanie Hockemeyer
Executive Assistant, Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and
Public Works Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 01/21/2020
ITEM NO: 9
DATE: January 15, 2020
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Open and Close a Public Hearing to Consider Objections to the Proposed
Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Weeds) for Properties Listed on the
2020 Weed Abatement Program Commencement Report and Order the
Abatement
RECOMMENDATION:
Open and close a Public Hearing to consider objections to the proposed abatement of
hazardous vegetation (weeds) for properties listed on the 2020 Weed Abatement Program
Commencement Report (Attachment 1) and order the abatement.
BACKGROUND:
Chapter 11, Article II, Section 11.20.015 of the Town of Los Gatos Municipal Code requires
property owners to remove or destroy weeds on their property for fire protection. On
November 5, 2019, the Town Council adopted amendments to Chapter 11 to expand the
definition of weeds to include other dead vegetation, fallen limbs, and combustible trash on
private property and add additional language to clarify and strengthen the Town’s weed
abatement program.
The weed abatement process is in place to notify the property owners of this responsibility,
authorize the County to remove the weeds if the property owner does not, and allow the
County to recover the costs of the abatement. The primary objective of the program is
voluntary compliance. The weed abatement program is administered through a contract with
the Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management (County).
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SUBJECT: Open and Close a Public Hearing to Consider Objections to the Proposed
Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Weeds) for Properties Listed on the 2020
Weed Abatement Program Commencement Report and Order the Abatement
DATE: January 15, 2020
DISCUSSION:
On December 3, 2019, the Town Council passed Resolution 2019 -060 (Attachment 2) declaring
weeds to be a public nuisance and set a hearing date of January 21, 2020 to consider objections
for proposed removal and to order the abatement.
This public hearing is an opportunity to consider objections from property owners with the
proposed abatement. On December 13, 2019, the County mailed informational weed
abatement program packets to all property owners, including the schedule and price list
(Attachment 3).
The weed abatement process consists of eight steps that begin in November and go through
August of each year. Currently the process is at Step 4 on the list as illustrated below.
1. When properties are identified as having hazardous weeds, they are placed in the program,
monitored, and must be compliant for three consecutive years in order to be removed from
the program. County prepares a report of all properties that have been ident ified and
provides the report to the Town (Attachment 1) (November).
2. Town Council adopts resolution declaring weeds a nuisance and sets a hearing date to hear
objections by property owners to having their property listed on the report (Attachment 2)
(December).
3. County sends notice to property owners on the report notifying them of the hearing date,
along with guidelines on the Weed Abatement Program explaining that they must remove
weeds by the abatement deadline or it will be done for them and the cost o f the abatement
plus administrative costs will be assessed by the County Tax Collector against the respective
property (Attachment 3) (December).
4. Town Council holds a public hearing to consider objections by property owners and orders
abatement (January).
5. County sends a courtesy letter to property owners on the report notifying them again of the
abatement deadline (January).
6. After the April parcel abatement deadline, the properties are inspected by the County to
verify that weeds were removed and proceeds with abatement if the inspection fails.
County creates an assessment report of all costs associated with the abatement and
provides that report to the Town (June-July).
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: Open and Close a Public Hearing to Consider Objections to the Proposed
Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Weeds) for Properties Listed on the 2020
Weed Abatement Program Commencement Report and Order the Abatement
DATE: January 15, 2020
DISCUSSION (continued):
7. Town notifies the property owners on the assessment report notifying them of the hearing
date (July).
8. Town Council holds a public hearing, notes any disputes, and adopts a resolution confirming
the assessment report, authorizing collection of the assessment charges (August).
CONCLUSION:
Open and close a Public Hearing to consider objections to the proposed abatement of
hazardous vegetation (weeds) for properties listed on the 2019 Weed Abatement Program
Commencement Report (Attachment 1) and order the abatement.
COORDINATION:
This program has been coordinated with the Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Management.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The County’s Weed Abatement Program administers services for 13 local agencies under a cost
recovery model, paid for by fees imposed on the parcel owners. The estimated program cost
related to each agency is based on the number of parcels per agency. Funds are provided in the
FY 2019/20 Operating Budget to cover the cost of publishing all required legal notices.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. 2020 Weed Abatement Program Commencement Report
2. Resolution 2019-060
3. Abatement Program Packet