RulesCommunications Highlights 2009 0922

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the BZA while ensuring property owners receive their just due process rights. Staff believes this change is especially important to bring violations that appear to pose fire hazards or other public health and safety issues more quickly to abatement or resolution. For forcible weed abatement, staff proposes to also record a certificate of Lis Pendens against a property after an abatement. A Lis Pendens is a notice recorded against a property that notifies new purchasers that a code enforcement related fine was recorded against a property and must be paid to resolve the cloud on title created by the Lis Pendens. If an owner sells or transfers the property after a notice is recorded, new owners receive record notice of the fine and abatement costs related to the property. Staff believes this will aid in the collection of costs and fines related to forcible weed abatement. DISCUSSION Staff members from the City Manager's Office, the Planning Department, the City Attorney's Office and the Police Department met to discuss proposed changes to the weed abatement ordinance. A summary of the recommended revisions is listed below: ^ Enforcement steps would consist of the issuance of two Notices of Violation prior to abatement of the violation. • A weed abatement ordinance Hearing Body, composed of three (3) managers would decide all matters related to the enforcement of the ordinance. ^ Staff recommends the City Council Rules & Communications Subcommittee approve the revised Ordinance. ^ Staff to file Lis Pendens with the Alameda County Assessor's office against properties that do not pay weed abatement ordinance fines and abatement costs. CONCLUSION The adoption of the amendments to the existing Weed Abatement Ordmance would facilitate an expeditious means to bring a property into compliance. Attachment (Draft of Ordinance Amending Title 3, Chapter 3-2 of the San Leandro Municipal Code Related To Weed Abatement)