Board authorizes liens after county abates repeated illegal dumping; Mountain View gate discussion continues

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on June 9 approved staff requests to record liens as special assessments against multiple properties where the county abated illegal dumping using CalRecycle grant funds, and discussed deterrent measures for chronic sites including Mountain View Road.

Marcus Belrammo, code enforcement manager, said the properties were part of a CalRecycle‑funded abatement program for sites where voluntary compliance or a responsible party could not be located. He described Mountain View Road as "one of the major reasons that we went out and got this grant because we routinely have to clean clear this area up pretty much annually." Staff recommended recording liens to recover abatement and administrative costs; the board approved recording the liens and instructed staff to record and place amounts on the tax roll as special assessments.

Public testimony included a property owner who said he had been out of the area and did not know the extent of the problem; he asked for a payment plan and said he would work with staff. Environmental and neighborhood advocates urged gate installation at Mountain View to stop chronic dumping; staff said gates were part of the CalRecycle plan but legal and logistical issues — including locating every property owner for access agreements and the grant expiration timeline — complicate immediate installation. The board directed staff to continue pursuing legal and practical solutions, including a draft illegal‑dumping ordinance and code revisions to add enforcement tools such as fines and potential vehicle forfeiture provisions.