Council schedules April 15 hearing on weed‑abatement property list to reduce fire risk

The council approved a motion to schedule a public hearing on April 15 to consider declaring identified parcels as public nuisances for weed and brush abatement, part of the city’s fire‑safety program administered with Santa Clara County.

Code enforcement staff and the county’s weed‑abatement manager explained the process: inspectors surveyed the city, sent initial warning notices, and reduced an initial list from 53 to 20 properties that remain noncompliant. Property owners who fail to abate after notice may be subject to abatement by the county contractor and later special assessments on the property tax roll to recover costs. A county official outlined fees (inspection, noncompliance, administrative and warrant fees) and said fees are assessed only for parcels that remain on the council‑approved list after the public hearing.

Councilmembers asked about outreach for owners who might be traveling and whether inspection fees should be applied after citizen complaints. County staff said the first notices and survey steps are informational and that fees are assessed only for properties on the approved list after the deadline; staff also said they are improving outreach materials and contact methods to reach owners in advance.

The council’s vote authorizes setting the April 15 public hearing; that hearing will allow property owners to appeal or show compliance before any fees are charged. The council asked staff to provide clear outreach materials and to coordinate additional notifications to minimize surprises to owners identified on the list.

What’s next: Staff and the county will continue outreach; the council will consider the finalized list and any objections at the April 15 hearing.