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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-18-2005 NA MINUTES NUISANCE ABATEMENT HEARING CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE 183 NORTH MAIN STREET LAKE ELSINORE, CA 92530 TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2005 ******************************************************************* CALL TO ORDER The regular Nuisance Abatement Hearing was called to order by Planning/Code Enforcement Manager Villa, at 5:12 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS: WATTS, FAGAN ABSENT: NONE - Also present were: Planning/Code Enforcement Manager Villa, Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon, Code Enforcement Officer Slater and Office Specialist Staley. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Code Enforcement Officer Slater. PUBLIC COMMENTS Scott Monson, a resident of Lake Elsinore, asked to speak. Mr. Monson wanted to talk about the issue of Hispanics standing on Spring Street soliciting for work. Mr. Monson indicated that this problem has been going on for years. Mr. Monson indicated that the problem started with only around six people standing on the street corner, and now there is around fifty Hispanics. Mr. Monson expressed that it is against the law to pick up people off the side of the road and pay them for work. Mr. Monson expressed that he has spoken to the Lake Elsinore Police Department on this issue and feels that their hands are tied. Mr. Monson expressed his feeling that the City should not provide trash receptacles or portable toilets for illegal aliens. Mr. Monson indicated that he did not say that they are all illegal aliens, but that we can assume that a few of them may be illegal aliens. Mr. Monson indicated that he contacted the City Manager to find out who gave permission to provide the trash cans and portable toilets. Mr. Monson stated that the City Manager confirmed that he did approve the trash cans and portable toilets. Mr. Monson indicated that he felt it was unfair to the tax payer to pay for and provide these amenities. PAGE 2 - NUISANCE ABATEMENT MINUTES - JANUARY 18,2005 CONSENT CALENDAR 1. The following Minutes were approved: A. Nuisance Abatement Meeting - November 16, 2004. MOVED BY FAGAN, SECONDED BY WATTS AND CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. 1208 W. Sumner Avenue (aka: 220 Mohr) - Unsecured vacant house with overgrown weeds. graffiti and teenagers loitering at property. Board Member Watts asked Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon to give an overview of the item. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that this was a vacant single family house. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that this was not the first time this property has been in Nuisance Abatement. Officer Gordon indicated that the property has been vacant as far back as possibly 1985. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that the house has been boarded up several times but has not stopped vagrants from getting inside. Officer Gordon also indicated that the home could be rehabilitated and make a nice family home for someone. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that since the owners have failed to respond and have not maintained the property, Officer Gordon recommends that the property be declared a nuisance. Board Member Watts asked if there was anyone who would like to speak in regards to the property at 1208 W. Sumner Avenue. Barbara Christopherson, a resident who lives at 218 Mohr that is next door to 1208 W. Sumner Ave (aka: 220 Mohr), introduced herself and asked to speak. Mrs. Christopherson has resided there since 1980. Mrs. Christopherson indicated that she has watched the house deteriorate since that time. Mrs. Christopherson indicated that she has had to call the Police several times for vagrants living in it. Mrs. Christopherson expressed that she has had people stop by and ask her if the house is for sale. Mrs. Christopherson expressed that she cannot understand why this house has been neglected for so long since so many people have expressed an interest in it. Scott Monson, who lives at 215 Mohr Street, asked to speak. Mr. Monson indicated that he has had to constandy chase kids out of the vacant house at 220 Mohr Street. Mr. Monson indicated he saw a tremendous amount of mold inside the house. Mr. Monson expressed that the house is a health hazard. Mr. Monson also indicated that he is concerned about the home catching on fire due to children playing with matches and lighters. Mr. Monson wanted to know what the next action would be on this issue. PAGE 3 - NUISANCE ABATEMENT MINUTES - JANUARY 18,2005 Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon stated that the first action taken is to have a Building Inspector go out and see if the house is condemnable. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that if the house is condemnable, then the Building Division would place the house in Structure Abatement. The Structure Abatement process takes ninety days. After the ninety days, an abatement warrant is obtained and then bids are taken for the demolition. Another option that the City has is to place the property into a receivership where someone is hired to oversee the rehabilitation of the house and it is placed on the market and sold. The City recovers the money from that and a family gets to move into a nice house. Any money left over would go back to the listed property owners. But in the process the house gets fixed up. This would be the option to take if the property does not get placed in structure abatement. Board Member Watts asked that we take a vote at this time whether or not the property is declared a nuisance. MOVED BY FAGAN, SECONDED BY WATTS AND CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT TO DECLARE THE PROPERTY AT 1208 W. SUMNER AVENUE (AKA: 220 MOHR) A NUISANCE. - Planning and Code Enforcement Manager Villa gave an overview of what it means to deem a property a nuisance. Planning and Code Enforcement Manager Villa indicated that Code Enforcement has to be sure that we follow all legal requirements. 2. 2088 Lakeshore Drive - Continued from November 16, 2004 Nuisance Abatement Hearing. Numerous inoperable vehicles behind business and in rear parking area, banners and items stored in public view. Planning/ Code Enforcement Manager Villa deferred to Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon gave an overview of the item. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that this was a case that was continued from a previous Nuisance Hearing. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that the new owners have completed all the work needed except for the hauling away of the inoperable vehicles. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon stated that the owners have turned in the wavier forms for the City to tow away the vehicles but due to all the heavy rains, our tow truck company has not been available. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that because it was the City's job to tow away the cars and that was the final violation, Officer Gordon recommended that the Board Members dismiss any further action against the property. MOVED BY WATTS, SECONDED BY FAGAN AND CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT TO DISMISS THE PROPERTY AT 2088 LAKESHORE DRIVE AS A NUISANCE. PAGE 4 - NUISANCE ABATEMENT MINUTES - JANUARY 18,2005 3. Lot on Temescal Canyon Road/ APN#390-130-017 - Extensive dumping on lot. Board Member Watts asked Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon to review the case. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon stated that this was an undeveloped parcel of land off Temescal Canyon and Lake Street. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon expressed that the Fire Department contacted Code Enforcement because there was a fire back in that area and the Fire Department had a difficult time getting their engines through due to all the illegal dumping. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that the property owner has been notified in the past and that a volunteer clean up was also conducted at no cost to the property owner. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon indicated that the owner has made no attempt to close the existing gates and padlock it off to make it more difficult for people to dump on the property. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon stated that there has been no response from the property owner, however the City did receive a certified letter back marked unclaimed. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon stated that a notice was posted on the property and therefore the City has legal rights to proceed with necessary action. Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon recommended the property be declared a nuisance at this time. MOVED BY FAGAN, SECONDED BY WATTS AND CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT TO DECLARE THE LOT ON TEMESCAL CANYON ROAD / APN#390-130-017 A NUISANCE. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS None. CODE ENFORCEMENT COMMENTS Senior Code Enforcement Officer Gordon wanted to announce that Code Enforcement will be participating in the homeless census on January 26, 2005. Code Enforcement attended a training meeting on how Code Enforcement could be utilized to help. Code Enforcement could help point out the areas that the homeless could be counted. Planning and Code Enforcement Manager Villa talked about the Lots on Graham Avenue that were in a previous Nuisance Hearing. Planning and Code Enforcement Manager Villa expressed that we had the City Crew from the Public Works Division clean up the property. Planning and Code Enforcement Manager Villa indicated that the total bill was around $3,500. that will be recovered from the property owner. NUISANCE ABATEMENT BOARD COMMENTS Board Member Fagan indicated that the Lots on Graham Avenue looked good and that it looked like it was ready for planting. PAGE 5 - NUISANCE ABATEMENT MINUTES - JANUARY 18,2005 - Board Member Watts also expressed that the Lots looked great and that when she was a little girl, they called it a ''Victory Garden". ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY CHAIRPERSON WATTS AND SECONDED BY FAGAN AND CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT TO ADJOURN THE NUSIANCE ABATEMENT MEETING AT 5:40 p.m. :J:~ iJtdh- Loraine Watts, Chairwoman Respectfully Submitted, x/~ diL Karen Staley r-- Office Specialist III .-.. ArrEST: I ~'R~ Robin Chipman, Secretary to the Nuisance Abatement Board --