HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.A 10/15/2018Agenda Item #5.A
DATE: October 15, 2018
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager
FROM: Leonard Thompson, Fire Chief
Jessica Power, 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 Bilis 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 2018 Weed Abatement Season, 612
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, 2018. Property
inspections began June 4, 2018.
Please note that none of the parcels noticed for this hearing are within 500' of any Council
Members' property.
DISCUSSION
A Public Hearing was held on May 7, 2018 for the benefit of 612 parcels listed on the original
weed master list. A total of 20 parcels were abated in 2018 by the City's weed contractor during
the weed season: one City -owned site and 19 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. For the 2018 weed abatement season there were 3
parcels that were abated that failed to remit payment for a total amount of $1,361.50. 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 cosh. For 2018, the total
program charges collected totaled $8,845.00, including $4,785 for services provided by the
City's weed abatement contractor, and $4,060 in administrative fees. The total program direct
cost including staff time was $9,286.10; therefore this year the program under -recovered its cost
by $441.10. For the 2018 weed abatement season there were 3 parcels that were abated that
failed to remit payment for a total amount of $1,361.50. Unpaid invoices are forwarded to the
County Assessor's Office to be attached to that specific parcel's future property tax bill.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Cost Report for 2018 Weed Abatement
3. Property Tax Levy Form Detailing Unpaid Invoices for Weed Abatement Services
Conducted in 2018.
Attachment 1
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
WHEREAS, on the 15th day of October, 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 twenty (20) 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 2018-047 N.C.S. adopted April 16,2018; 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 2018 Weed
Abatement Cost Report ("Report") to the City Council showing the cost of removing weeds,
excessive organic yard waste, foliage, overgrowth, dirt and/or debris from the twenty (20)
parcels abated this season; and
WHEREAS, before said Report was submitted to the City Council, a copy of same was
posted on the Chamber door of the City Council prior to the 4th day of October, 2018 and for
at least three days, together with notice of the date on which the Report would be submitted
to the City Council for confirmation. Said displayed notice and report states that a Public
Hearing would be held before this City Council on this 15th day of October at the hour of
6:45 P.M., or as soon thereafter as can be heard, about the outcome of the abatement season;
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 2018 Weed Abatement Cost 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.
Attachment 2
j85$
COST REPORT FOR 2018 WEED ABATEMENT
CHARGES AND EXPENSES
DISKING
14 HOURS
MOWING
28.50 HOURS
HAND WORK
158.50 HOURS
BLADING
0.00 HOURS
PULLING FEE
16 PULLS
PARCELS ABATED BY CONTRACTOR:
PRIVATE 19
CITY 1
20
â–º CHARGES:
CHARGED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS (19 PARCELS)
(INCL. PER PARCEL ADMINISTRATION FEE OF $203.00) $8,574.50
CHARGED TO CITY DEPARTMENT FUNDS (1 PARCEL)
[FIRE (1)] $270.50
(INCL. PER PARCEL ADMINISTRATION FEE OF $203.00)
TOTAL AMOUNT BILLED: $89845.00
01 --EXPENSES:
PAYMENT OF CONTRACTOR'S (KEYSTONE TRACTOR SERVICE)
DIRECT INVOICES: $4,785.00
POSTAGE: HEARING LETTERS: $175.78
POSTAGE: IST INVOICING -19 @ $0.49: $9.31
POSTAGE: ADD'L "PLEASE ABATE" LETTERS -9 @ $0.49: $4.41
ESTIMATED MINIMUM LABOR HOURS SPENT FOR PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT (FIRE MARSHAL): 10 HRS $617.00
WEED INSPECTOR (FIRE INSPECTOR 1) (5/1-8/24): 80 HRS $3,302.66
SECRETARY: 60 HRS $1,825.80
â–ºACCOUNTING SUMMARY:
TOTAL EXPENSES: $109719.96
TOTAL CHARGES: $ 8,845.00
TOTAL EXPENSES: - $ 10,719.96
BALANCE SUMMARY: -$1,874.96
UNPAID INVOICES
FOR WEED ABATEMENT WORK
PERFORMED IN 2018
Attachment 3
SUBMIT FOR PROPERTY TAX LEVY
APN PROPERTY ADDRESS NAME AMOUNT
DUE
019401019 2762 I ST EXT
008471042 93 MISSION DR
019550001 550 SUNNYSLOPE RD
SPELLMAN KENT $856.75
MALONEY JOSEPH M & LINDA M $221.75
BULLARD ARTHUR WILLIAM $283.00
TOTAL $19361.50