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Ceres officials describe cleanup, enforcement steps after Lazy Wheels fire and for former Kmart parcels
Summary
City staff said a recent fire at Lazy Wheels caused no injuries, the property remains private and the owner must coordinate with HCD; city police will arrest trespassers and staff are pursuing options to force cleanup of derelict sites, while Kmart parcel coordination continues amid a potential tenant’s financial delay.
City of Ceres officials on Jan. 12 reported results of recent enforcement activity and plans to address several derelict properties, including a fire at the Lazy Wheels site, continuing trespass at the Tuscany Village property, and cleanup coordination for the former Kmart parcels.
Chief Johnson told the council that a fire at Lazy Wheels caused no injuries. "No one was injured in that fire," he said, and the city remains in contact with the property owner as the site transitions from a mobile home park. The chief said the owner has authorized arrests for trespass on the privately owned site.
Council members and the city manager described repeated trespass and a separate incident at Tuscany Village where oil was dumped into a drain; officers have been instructed to arrest trespassers found on that property. City staff said they are considering placing a lien on the property to recover staff time and cleanup costs for repeated enforcement visits.
On the former Kmart property, city staff said the site comprises five separate parcels and that outreach to individual owners is ongoing. A prospective business tenant has paused plans because of financial hardship, delaying redevelopment and cleanup work. The city manager said the owner must work with the state housing department (HCD) to confirm utilities are off before the site can be reclassified and cleared.
Council Member Casey used the referrals section to ask staff to review the municipal code language governing planning commission composition—he noted a student seat specified in the code has not been filled historically—and to examine whether the city’s vendor application and ordinance process needs tightening after vendors at a recent parade appeared not to collect sales tax.
City staff said they will continue coordinating with property owners, HCD and enforcement teams; the city manager and chief of police will report back with recommended next steps and timelines. No injuries were reported in the fire; no arrests were reported at the meeting time.
