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Gardena council adopts $245 annual fee for new vacant-property registry
Summary
The City Council approved a $245 registration and renewal fee to fund a newly created vacant-property registry ordinance, citing cost recovery and use of a third‑party data platform; council found the fee exempt from CEQA.
The Gardena City Council on Aug. 26 adopted a resolution setting fees for the city's new vacant-property registry, approving a $245 registration fee and a $245 annual renewal fee meant to recover administrative costs. The action implements Ordinance 18-82, which requires registration of vacant, abandoned and foreclosed residences under chapter 9.72 of the Gardena Municipal Code.
City staff told the council the $245 fee splits roughly into a $125 one-time charge retained by a third-party data platform and about $120 to cover an hour of code-enforcement labor and other city processing costs. Staff described having solicited proposals from three vendors and said they have not yet selected the specific third-party provider. The council opened a public hearing, received no public testimony and then closed the hearing before voting.
The council adopted Resolution No. 6698 and found the fee resolution exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code section 21080(b)(8) and CEQA Guideline 15273, with staff citing the cost-recovery exemption. Council members emphasized the program's public-safety purpose: establishing a registry makes it easier for city officials to identify and proactively address vacant properties that can attract trespassing, vandalism or other illegal activity.
At the meeting Councilmember Henderson described the ordinance as a best-practice measure learned at a League of Cities event and said the list will allow public safety and code staff to act without waiting for complaints. Councilmember Francis pressed staff for details about the third-party platform's function and public access to the registry. Staff replied the platform will accept registrations, collect payment, identify potential vacant properties and notify owners; city staff will have access to the dataset. Staff said the city would likely decline public-records requests for the full owner list when disclosure would endanger safety or invite trespass, per the city attorney's guidance.
The council voted to adopt the resolution. The resolution requires staff to file a notice of exemption and for registration and renewal payments to be collected through the selected third-party platform once procurement is complete.
Background: Council adopted the underlying vacant-property ordinance on June 10, 2025. The new fee resolution implements the program by establishing the registration and renewal charges and a method for collection through a third-party vendor.
