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Abatement of Hazardous Vegetation (Weeds)%W N OF �4 �Q��VIU !ps Gk DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT JULY 24, 2012 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER MEETING DATE: 08/06/12 ITEM NO: 1 a, ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (WEEDS) A. CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE REPORT OF THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ON THE ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (WEEDS) FOR THE 2011 -2012 SEASON. B. APPROVE SAID COMMENCEMENT REPORT. RECOMMENDATION: 1. Conduct public hearing to consider the report of the County Agricultural Commissioner's Office on the abatement of hazardous vegetation (weeds) for the 2011 -2012 season. 2. Approve said commencement report (Attachment 1). BACKGROUND: Hazardous Vegetation (weeds) poses a serious fire danger during the summer months and is the responsibility of individual property owners. To ensure this hazardous vegetation (weeds) is eliminated, the Town Council established a Hazardous Vegetation (Weeds) Abatement Program in cooperation with the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner's Office. This program, which is similar to those in neighboring jurisdictions, is modeled after the Town's nuisance abatement process. It begins annually in late fall with the Town Council declaring the hazardous vegetation to be a public nuisance, and ends the following summer with a public hearing to confirm charges against properties on which weeds were abated by the County's contractor. DISCUSSION: Earlier this year, the County Agricultural Commissioner's Office inspected properties in the Town and notified the owners of those on which hazardous vegetation was observed to remove PREPARED BY: TODD CAPURSO Director of Parks and Public Works Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Finande N:\PPW\ MANAGEMENT \COUNCIL \COUNCIL REPORTS\2012 Reports \Aug 6\Hazardous Vegetation Abatement - 2012 Weeds \Weeds.PubHearing.080611.docx PAGE 2 JULY 24, 2012 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (WEEDS) DISCUSSION (cont'd.): the weeds in accordance with fire safety standards. Properties not cleared by the owners before a specified date were subsequently cleared by a contractor hired by the County Agricultural Commissioner's Office. Questions related to the work performed and the cost of said work should be directed to: Moe Kumre, Program Coordinator Hazardous Vegetation Management County of Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture and Resource Management 1553 Berger Drive - Building #1 San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 282 -3123 Upon completion of the work, the Office of the County Agricultural Commissioner prepares a report documenting the properties that were cleared and the costs for administering and performing the work. The report is then filed with the Town for review and approval at a public hearing. Once approved, the report is filed with the County Tax Collector for placement of the charges on the ensuing property tax roll. CONCLUSION: The properties identified in the 2011 -2012 report have benefited from the Hazardous Vegetation (Weed) Abatement Program by virtue of the County Agricultural Commissioner's Office removing the hazardous vegetation on these properties. Therefore, the property owners should be charged for the cost of removing hazardous vegetation under the program. Staff recommends that the Town Council accept and approve the County Agricultural Commissioner's report. Upon said approval, the report will be filed with the County Tax Collector for placement of charges on the ensuing property tax roll. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to the Town. The County's costs to administer and carry out the program are recovered via the charges levied against the properties served by the program. PAGE 3 JULY 24, 2012 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION (WEEDS) Attachments: 1. 2012 Weed Abatement Program Assessment Report from County Agricultural Commissioner's Office. Distribution: Kevin O'Day, Acting Agricultural Commissioner, County of Santa Clara Department of Agriculture and Resource Management, Division of Hazardous Vegetation, 1553 Berger Drive, Building #1, San Jose, CA 95112 Moe Kumre, Program Coordinator, County of Santa Clara Department of Agriculture and Resource Management, Division of Hazardous Vegetation, 1553 Berger Drive, Building #1, San Jose, CA 95112 Special Distribution (list of assessed property owners) THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK F= F-1; F-: F-= F� F- 1--: F� F- 'Z 60� in (N) ID �111 ("I fIll ell Ir V) VI LA: in M, 40 vr M m '4� ell in le fn in in m g in in 4 rp in It", C\ Ct C\ oll ol 131 C41 �rl VI C', 0 0 0 0 0 z ly. 0 0 u) �2 SO 0) CI > > rA w I "m > z CA X, W LNell, 4* vi It: ci Ed 41 17 0 ti m rl r ck A cli CJ (,,I cl) C11 in In tn wl W� 11, E E E 0 c 0 CAI > C, fn m t" LO ZD t" 0� in -x r7,j rd cd 4-1 u P4 Id W P+ 0 r4 03 a� 0 T I C) It-I 0 CL 0) 0� THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK