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Board upholds Lake County notice to abate at burned Neese property after hearing; motion carries 4‑1
Summary
After testimony from county code enforcement and the property owner, the Board of Supervisors voted 4‑1 on Sept. 23 to uphold an order to abate fire debris and related violations at a pair of parcels on Marin Street in Neese. County staff said debris posed a runoff and public safety hazard; the property owner said she was working to recover from a
The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 23 upheld a county code enforcement order to abate fire debris and other violations at 6782 and 6792 Marin Street in Neese.
Code Enforcement Manager Marcus Beltramo told the board the principal concern was fire debris and an exposed burned structure that had been left on the property after a 2024 structure fire. Beltramo said the county had previously worked with the owner, Jessica Northcutt, who obtained a demolition permit more than a year earlier but had not completed the required removal work and had allowed the permit to expire. Beltramo cited concerns that winter rains would wash contaminated debris toward local tributaries and ultimately Clear Lake and said the property also generated repeated complaints to environmental health and the sheriff’s office.
Property owner Jessica Northcutt and her partner, Dan Hannah, told the board the fire in June 2024 destroyed their home and that they had worked to clean up the site while they were homeless for more than 100 days; Hannah said the couple had raised funds, removed some material and were attempting to obtain soil sampling to ensure safe disposal. Northcutt said lack of resources and health problems had slowed progress.
After public comment from neighbors and advocates, Supervisor Lloyd moved to uphold the notice and instruct staff to proceed with abatement; the motion passed 4‑1. County staff said abatement would be carried out with the goal of removing all fire debris and hazardous material and that the county’s process allows owners to repay abatement costs over time.
Why it matters: County staff said the burned structure and scattered debris posed environmental and public‑safety risks — including potential runoff into streams — and the board’s action gives the county authority to clear the property if the owner does not finish the cleanup.
Quotes from the hearing: “Our real concern is … when the rain does rain on that property, that it will capture all that debris and then wash it down, eventually going into our tributaries and streams and then ultimately the lake,” Code Enforcement Manager Marcus Beltramo said. Property partner Dan Hannah said he and Northcutt were “busting our ****” to clean the site and asked for assistance: “We’re just trying to rebuild our life and get going here.”
Action detail: Motion to “uphold the notice of nuisance in order to abate and instruct staff to move forward in its abatement process to remove all existing violations from the property address as amended.” Motion carried 4‑1. Supervisor votes were recorded as a four‑yes, one‑no tally; board minutes did not record individualized roll‑call votes in the transcript.
Ending: Supervisors instructed staff to proceed with abatement; the owner was encouraged to work with county staff on compliance plans and potential financial assistance for soil testing and disposal.
