HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.B 11/02/2015DATE: November 2, 2015
Agenda Item #5.8
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City C ncil through City Manager
FROM: Leonard Thompson, Fire Chief 'f
Cary D. Fergus, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT: Public Hearing and Action to Adopt Resolution Confirming the Cost of
Abatement of Weeds and Confirming Approval of the Forwarding of Unpaid Bills
to the County Assessor's Office for Collection as Assessments
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution Confirming the Cost of
Abatement of Weeds and Confirming Approval of the Forwarding of Unpaid Bills to the County
Assessor's Office for Collection as Assessments.
BACKGROUND
The City has an aggressive weed abatement program. The clearing of public and private
property, depending on weather, must be accomplished by mid -May or early June of any given
year and maintained until the first major rains of Fall. This greatly reduces the fuel /fire load
available and significantly reduces the threat and risk from fire.
Property owners are encouraged to remove overgrown weeds and /or combustible vegetation
growing upon their properties themselves or by a contractor of their choosing. When this does
not occur in a timely manner, the City's weed contractor, under the direction of the Fire
Marshal's Office, conducts the abatement. During the 2015 Weed Abatement Season, 655
properties (City and private) were identified as requiring abatement and respective owners were
notified by mail to abate weeds. The weed removal deadline was May 31, 2015. Property
inspections began June 1, 2015.
DISCUSSION
Public Hearings were held twice during the 2015 season: on May 18, 2015 (Resolution 2015 -056
N.C.S.) for the benefit of 653 parcels listed on the original weed master list and again on July 20,
2015 (Resolution 2015 -105 N.C.S.) for the benefit of two additional parcels identified after the
May 18th hearing. A total of nineteen parcels were abated in 2015 by the City's weed contractor
during the weed season: two City -owned sites and seventeen private sites. Invoices for service
were issued to the private parcel owners. Pursuant to municipal weed abatement regulations,
failure to remit payment will result in any unpaid amounts being attached to that specific parcel's
future property tax bill by the County Assessor's Office. State law requires that the City Council
hold a Public Hearing to hear objections by private owners about the cost of weed abatement
performed on their property.
It is recommended that the City Council consider any objections or comments offered at the
public hearing and adopt the attached Resolution confirming the approval of the forwarding of
any unpaid weed abatement bills to the County Assessor's Office.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The weed abatement program is intended to recover 100% of the costs. For 2015, the total
program charges (amount collected) totaled $10,980 and the total program cost including staff
time was $11,288.34; therefore this year the program under - recovered its cost by $398.34. This
is primarily due to the fact that both our own City Departments and some public properties are
addressing their own weed abatement and are not subject to Administrative fees which are a
portion of the total program charges. Direct costs of abatement are charged based on actual costs
to clear the parcels. A per - parcel administrative fee of $190 is added to each parcel to cover the
cost of the weed abatement inspector, program management and clerical support and is based on
the City's actual and reasonable costs of administering the program. The fee is approved by City
Council Resolution and is identified in the City's adopted schedule of fees for services. Please
see the attached Cost Report for a complete breakdown of costs for the 2015 Weed Abatement
Season.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Cost Report for 2015 Weed Abatement
3. Memo to Petaluma City Council Listing Properties That Are Within 500' of
Councilmembers' Properties.
4. Property Tax Levy Form Detailing Unpaid Invoices for Weed Abatement Services
Conducted in 2015.
Attachment 1
RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE COST OF ABATEMENT
OF WEEDS AND APPROVING THE FORWARDING OF UNPAID
BILLS TO THE COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE FOR
COLLECTION AS ASSESSMENTS
WHEREAS, on the 2nd day of November, the Fire Marshal provided to the City Council
of Petaluma an itemized report detailing the cost of removing weeds, excessive organic yard
waste, foliage, overgrowth, dirt and /or debris from nineteen (19) separate parcels, all as
shown and set forth on the attached itemized report. Said work, was completed pursuant to
Government Code, Title 4, Chapter 13, including § §39560 et seq., and proceedings of this
City Council, including Resolution 2015 -027 N.C.S. adopted March 16, 2015; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Marshal's Report of the cost of this season's weed abatement
program was posted by him on or before the 26th day of October, 2015 on the Chamber door
of the City Council in City Hall, Petaluma, California. Said displayed notice and Report
states that a Public Hearing would be held before this City Council on this 2nd day of
November at the hour of 7:00 P.M., or as soon thereafter as can be heard, about the outcome
of the abatement season; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Marshal kept an accounting of nuisance weed abatement completed
by the City's weed contractor, Keystone Tractor Service, and submitted the 2015 Weed
Abatement Cost Report ( "the Report") to the City Council showing the cost of removing
weeds, excessive organic yard waste, foliage, overgrowth, dirt and /or debris from the
nineteen (19) parcels abated this season; and
WHEREAS, before said Report was submitted to the City Council, a copy of same was
posted for at least three (3) days on the Chamber door of the City Council, together with
notice of the date on which the Report would be submitted to the City Council for
confirmation; and
WHEREAS, at the time and place referred to in said notice, the City Council heard the
Fire Marshal's Report, together with any objections raised by the property owners, and the
City Council made its recommendations and any modifications it deemed necessary to be
included in the final Report; and
WHEREAS, a copy of the Property Tax Levy Report has been given to the County
Auditor /Assessor of Sonoma County in advance of the City Council hearing this matter.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Petaluma
that:
The Fire Marshal's 2015 Weed Abatement Cost Report ( "the Report "), and each
amount and part thereof, is hereby confirmed, and as to the delinquent parcels
)
listed therein, the amount shown for each such parcel constitutes a special
assessment against each such delinquent parcel; and,
2. The Property Tax Levy Report provided to the County Auditor /Assessor of
Sonoma County is hereby confirmed, such that a special assessment shall be
charged against each delinquent parcel as listed in the Property Tax Levy Report,
pursuant to Government Code, Title 4, Chapter 13, including § §39560 et seq.
0
aw '�
1858
COST REPORT FOR 2015 WEED ABATEMENT
CHARGES AND EXPENSES
DISKING
MOWING
HAND WORK
BLADING
PULLING FEE
6.75 HOURS
63.25 HOURS
150.50 HOURS
2.00 HOURS
20 PULLS
PARCELS ABATED BY CONTRACTOR: PRIVATE 17
CITY 2
19
00-CHARGES:
CHARGED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS (17 PARCELS
(INCL. PER PARCEL ADMINISTRATION FEE OF $190.00) $10,132.50
CHARGED TO CITY DEPARTMENT FUNDS (2 PARCELS)
[HousiNG(1), FIRE (I)] $757.50
(INCL, PER PARCEL ADMINISTRATION FEE OF $ 1 90.00)
TOTAL AMOUNT BILLED:
0-EXPENSES:
PAYMENT OF CONTRACTOR'S (KEYSTONE TRACTOR SERVICE
DIRECT INVOICES: $7,280.00
POSTAGE: 1sT & 2ND HEARING LETTERS: $210.10
POSTAGE: 1sT & 2ND INVOICING— 17 C@ $.48: $8.16
POSTAGE: ADD'L "PLEASE ABATE" LETTERS — 21 C7 $.48: $10.08
LABOR HOURS SPENT FOR PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT (FIRE MARSHAL: 10 HRS $556.40
WEED INSPECTOR (FIRE INSPECTOR 1) (5/1- 8/24): 60 HRS $2118.00
SECRETARY: 40 HRS $1105.60
0- ACCOUNTING SUMMARY:
TOTAL EXPENSES:
TOTAL CHARGES:
TOTAL EXPENSES:
Attachment 2
$10,890.00
$11,288.34
$ 10,890.00
- $ 11,288.34
BALANCE SUMMARY: - 398.34
Attachment 3
City of Petaluma, California
MEMORANDUM
Fire Prevention Bureau, 11 English Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 778 -4389, Fax (707) 776 -3642
DATE: August 26, 2015
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through the City Manager
FROM: Leonard Thompson, Interim Fire Chief
Cary D. Fergus, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT: Weed Abatement Program 2015 - Public Hearing, 11/02/15, 7:00 p.m.
A total of nineteen (19) parcels were abated in 2015 by the City's weed contractor during the weed
season: two (2) City -owned sites and seventeen (17) private sites. Pursuant to municipal weed
abatement regulations, failure to remit payment will result in any unpaid amounts being attached to that
specific parcel's future property tax bill by the County Assessor's Office.
Listed below, alphabetically by Councilmember, is a listing of these addresses (by parcel number and
street address) that have been identified as being within 500' of a City Councilmember's property.
CHRIS ALBERTSON
None
TERESA BARRETT
None
DAVID GLASS
None
MIKE HEALY (Primary & Secondary Addresses)
None
GABE KEARNEY
None
Memo to Council
August 26, 2015
Page 2
DAVE KING
Parcel No.
Address
008 - 232 -057
Olive Street (area top of 121 Olive St)
008 - 232 -058
Olive Street (area top of 121 Olive St)
KATHY MILLER
None
UNPAID INVOICES
FOR WEED ABATEMENT WORK
PERFORMED IN 2015
Attachment 4
SUBMIT FOR PROPERTY TAX LEVY
APN PROPERTY ADDRESS NAME AMOUNT
DUE
019401019
2762 I ST EXT
VILLAGE INVESTORS LLC
$853.75
008471018
1100 PETALUMA BLVD S
PRB ENTERPRISES
$443.75
136010024
500 HOPPER ST
POMEROY CORPORATION
$1,197.50
019570014
6 TREEHAVEN LN
BENEDETTI MARCUS & MARYBETH
$471.25
008321001
LA CRESTA DR
CWS (California Water Service)
$453.75
008232057
OLIVE ST (area top of 121 Olive St)
WOOD KELLY C TR ET AL
$348.75
008232058
OLIVE ST (area top of 121 Olive St)
WOOD KELLY C TR ET AL
$348.75
TOTAL $49117.50