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HomeMy WebLinkAbout378181075 Hazardous Vegetation & CITY of �� Rubbish Abatement Program LADE L LSI1`IORE VIOLATION NOTICE %emu DREAM EXTREME �M Code Reference Number: 26-1534 Compliance Dates: May 15, 2026 August 28, 2026 October 30, 2026 READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY; IT IS THE ONLY ONE YOU WILL RECEIVE! Hazardous Vegetation and/or Rubbish Abatement Required to Avoid Fees and Penalties. Lots must be cleared of all violations by the following dates: May 15, 2026, First Clearing August 28, 2026, Second Clearing October 30, 2026, Third Clearing Weed abatement on vacant lots is required year-round; you must ensure your lots are clear of all overgrown weeds, trees, and brush. Dear Property Owner: On 02/26/2026, the City of Lake Elsinore conducted an inspection of the property, described by the Riverside County Assessor's Office as APN: 378181075. The city is sending this correspondence to notify you that the property should be clear of any or all of the violations below by the inspection dates listed above. According to Section 8.18 of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code, the property should be clear of the following: Violation(s): 1. LEMC 8.18 - Hazardous Vegetation ( < 5 Acres) 2. LEMC 8.18 - Partially Completed / All Handwork must be complete 3. LEMC 8.18 - Dead or overgrown branches ( < 8' from ground) Please be advised that your property must be cleared of all violations no later than the noted compliance dates listed on this notice. The City will perform follow-up inspections to check for compliance. If the property noted fails to achieve full compliance by that time, the City will have the property cleared by a City contractor. You will be billed for all associated abatement costs and administrative fees. Hazardous vegetation or rubbish can create serious health, fire, and/or safety concerns. The City's Hazardous Vegetation and Rubbish Abatement Standards are enclosed for weed and rubbish maintenance, prevention, and abatement. If your property is considered habitat/conservation land, the abatement standards are different and must be strictly followed. Please read all enclosures carefully. For questions, please get in touch with the City at (951) 674-3124. If you dispute this notice, you must submit a written appeal to WeedAbatement@Lake-Elsinore.org within 15 days of the date of this notice. The appeal shall state the reasons why this notice is incorrect. A hearing on the appeal shall be conducted according to Lake Elsinore Municipal Code Section 8.18.040. The City urges you to take action and thanks you for your prompt attention to this critical health and safety concern. CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE HAZARDOUS VEGETATION & RUBBISH ABATEMENT STANDARDS The mission of the City of Lake Elsinore's Hazardous Vegetation and Rubbish Abatement Program is to remove combustible fuel such as weeds, brush, dead trees, debris, filled dirt, and rubbish from all unimproved, vacant parcels within the city limits. These guidelines shall apply to all vacant and unimproved parcels year- round. All Vacant Parcels • All weeds, grass, brush, or other combustible vegetation shall be cleared entirely on all parcels less than five (5) acres in size. This includes any alley, parkway strips, or unimproved public easements abutting the property. Grading shall not take place without appropriate permits. • All weeds must be cut to a maximum of three inches (3") in height on all parcels. All clippings shall either be mulched to a depth under three inches (Y) or removed. • Remove any dead or overgrown branches within eight feet (8') from the ground from trees. • Trees overhanging sidewalks must be trimmed so no branches are hanging below twelve feet (12'). Trees overhanging roadways/driveways must be trimmed so that no branches hang below thirteen and a half feet (13' 6"). • All rubbish, trash, trimmings, litter, tires, and combustible waste material, including palm fronds, must be removed from the property and taken to an approved refuse disposal facility. Parcels Over Five (5) Acres • Firebreaks must be a continuous 100—foot wide strip of land, clear of all combustible weeds, grass, stubble, rubbish, or other material that would allow for fire travel. • Crosscuts must be used on larger parcels so that no unabated areas exceed five (5) acres, including any alley, parkway strip, or unimproved public easement abutting the parcel. Grading shall not take place without the appropriate permits. • Provide 100-foot wide firebreaks along each side of all roadways, fences, property lines, ditches, and creeks. • Where trees are located within any firebreak, any dead or overgrown branches within eight feet (8') from the ground. • Some lots over 5 acres may be required to abate all weeds at the city's discretion. Parcels That Contain or May Contain Habitat • Parcels known to contain or that the parcel owner believes may contain habitat or rare, threatened, or endangered plant species shall contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at least ten (10)_ days before clearing. The appropriate wildlife agency shall be contacted before clearance if the parcel owner knows of any federally or state-listed species. Before clearance, relevant agencies may require a permit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife). • Where the Fire Department has approved fuel modification plans, these plans must be implemented in addition to these abatement standards. • When parcels are adjacent to roadways, a ten-foot (10') firebreak must be maintained along the full roadway length. The Citv will abate any vacant parcels not fully compliant with these standards, including partially cleared parcels, at a significantly higher cost than hiring a private contractor. Parcel owners are required to comply with these abatement standards year-round. All appeals must be made in writing. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the City of Lake Elsinore at(951) 674-3124 or visit www.Lake-Elsinore.org/hazardousvegetation for additional information. CITY OF Ot LtlK-E CLS H0O E ri nu Hazardous Vegetation & Rubbish Abatement Program Frequently Asked Questions Why did I receive a notice for my vacant, unimproved property? The mission of the City of Lake Elsinore's Hazardous Vegetation and Rubbish Abatement Program is to remove combustible fuel such as weeds, brush, dead trees, debris, filled dirt, and rubbish from all unimproved, vacant parcels within the city limits. Recently, your vacant, unimproved property was inspected for hazardous vegetation and/or rubbish and was identified as a property that contains vegetation and/or rubbish that can create health, fire, and/or safety issues within the City. This notice is an annual courtesy reminder sent by the City's Fire Marshal to property owners of vacant parcels within the City, urging them to clear any vegetation and/or rubbish on their property within 30 days of the date of the notice. Please see the attached Hazardous Vegetation & Rubbish Abatement Standards for additional information. Properties not in compliance with Chapter 8.18 of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC) will be issued an official Notice of Violation, and a fee may be imposed for non- compliance. I already cleared my property. Why am I still receiving this notice? As part of the City's program and procedures, all vacant properties are inspected individually for hazardous vegetation and/or rubbish. The inspection date is noted in the third paragraph of the notice. You may disregard this notice if you have cleared your property since the inspection date. If it was cleared before the inspection, please refer to the attached Hazardous Vegetation & Rubbish Abatement Standards for additional information on the expectations for vacant, unimproved properties in the City. There is debris and garbage on my property, and I didn't put it there — why am I responsible? If you are the property owner, then you are exclusively responsible for maintaining the condition of that property per Chapter 8.18 of the LEMC. I no longer own the property; why was I sent this notice? Unfortunately, at times, property owner records are not always current. Notices are sent to the last known owner on Riverside County's assessment roll. If you are no longer the owner, please get in touch with the County of Riverside Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder at 951-955-6200. Where can I find a weed abatement contractor? We suggest tree services, mowing services, or weed control services, which are listed in various yellow pages under these headings. We recommend getting three bids, ensuring contractors are licensed, and providing proof of Worker's Compensation and General Liability Insurance. Contractors should provide before-and-after evidence of the work completed. Do I have the right to an appeal hearing? Yes. If you protest the code as it pertains to your parcel or if you want to request an exemption from clearing the property at this time, you must submit the appeal in writing to WeedAbatement@Lake-Elsinore.org. Parcels cannot arbitrarily be exempted. What will happen if I do nothing to the property and don't request an appeal hearing? A City contractor will clear the property, and the property owner will be billed for all costs, including an administrative fee for the abatement of the property per LEMC Chapter 8.18. How do I know if a plant species is native? Generally, if it is irrigated and living, it is ornamental; if it is not irrigated and living, it is native. My neighbor has combustible vegetation within 100' of my house. Can I clear their property? Contacting the property owner to request permission to clear an adjacent property is always best. If unsuccessful, please contact WeedAbatement@Lake-Elsinore.org and provide an address, the nature of the concern, a photograph (if possible), and contact information so that we may contact you if we have additional questions. What roads are subject to the 10' clearance of combustible native habitat requirements on either side? Any road or driveway that provides access to a structure is defined as a roadway and is subject to these clearing requirements. What does it mean to maintain horizontal clearance of vegetation alongside a roadway? Any road must be maintained to its improved (graded or paved) width; nothing may encroach upon the roadway or driveway that reduces its original width. What roads are subject to the 13' 6" vertical clearance requirements, and what is included in this requirement? All roads and driveways are defined above. This pertains to any obstructions within 13' 6" of the ground directly overhead the roadway surface. How do I cut vegetation on hillsides when it exists to prevent erosion? Any cutting or trimming method that leaves the root structure intact is highly recommended, usually by maintaining the vegetation 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Can I burn vegetation? No. Open burning for weed abatement and fire clearance is prohibited by the Air Quality Management District and the City. Can I pile cut vegetation on site? No. All cut vegetation must be removed, crushed, buried, or mulched and spread. If material is mulched, it must be spread to a depth no greater than three inches (3"). What does it mean to remove limbs within 8' of the ground? Remove any branches that are within 8' of the ground and any ground litter under trees. It does not mean to cut trees to 8' tall. Branches and Limbs should be trimmed 6' off the ground, 9' above a sidewalk, and 12' above any roadway, paved or not. What if my trees are not over 8' tall? Do I have to trim them? Yes, though they only need to be trimmed from the ground up to 1/3 of the tree's height. Example: If a tree is 12 feet tall, it would only require 4 feet of trimming. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the City of Lake Elsinore at (951) 674-3124 or visit www.Lake-Elsinore.org/hazardousvegetation for additional information.