Palos Verdes Estates City Council authorizes appeal in Duncan nuisance abatement action

Palos Verdes Estates City Council reported on Jan. 14 that it had authorized filing an appeal in a nuisance abatement action known in the record as the “Duncan” matter.

The action was disclosed after the council returned from a closed session called under Government Code 54957, the city attorney said. "At 5:00 p.m., the city council met in open session and recessed to closed session on the items posted on the agenda," the city attorney said. "There was no reportable action on two items. On the third item, the Duncan matter, which is a nuisance abatement action, the council, by unanimous decision of the council members present with Council Member McGowan not present, authorized an appeal to be filed in that action."

The city clerk’s roll call earlier in the meeting recorded that Council Member McGowan was absent and that the other members present established a quorum. No members of the public were present for the communications portion of the meeting, the presiding officer said.

The council’s statement did not identify who moved or seconded the direction to file an appeal, nor did it provide a timetable or additional legal rationale in the public readout. The city attorney’s oral report said two agenda items produced no reportable action and that the appeal authorization pertained specifically to the Duncan nuisance-abatement matter.

After the readout, the council moved on to its regular meeting agenda. No further details about the appeal filing, including the appellant’s counsel, filing deadlines or next steps, were provided in the public readout.