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Resident challenges $839 weed‑abatement bill; district says contractor mobilization drives costs
Summary
Resident Jeff Hellman said he paid for weed clearing yet received an $839 abatement bill and questioned contractor activity and transparency; staff said abatement contractors mobilize to clear hundreds of parcels quickly and that an RFP for this year's contract will be issued.
Jeff Hellman, a Cambria property owner, told the board he received an $839 weed‑abatement bill despite having cleared the property himself and paying contractors several months earlier. Hellman said district photos in the mailed notice showed two people on the property without tools and that he had not observed any removal or hauling activity on site. “We paid for the weed whacking like we do every year…all we got is a bill in the mail,” he said.
General Manager Michael McElhaney and staff explained the district’s weed‑abatement process: when owners fail to meet defensible‑space requirements, the district notifies owners and — after published timelines and hearings — hires a contractor to abate dozens or hundreds of lots. Staff said mobilization and equipment costs are high because contractors often clear 200–600 lots over short timeframes, which can make per‑parcel charges appear large.
McElhaney said staff responded to public records requests by providing before/after photos and that the district plans to issue a new RFP for weed‑abatement services when the current two‑year contract expires. He urged property owners to respond to public‑nuisance notices and meet abatement deadlines to avoid contractor charges.
What’s next: staff will proceed with the RFP process and continue to provide records in response to documentary requests; owners who dispute charges may pursue the public‑nuisance hearing process described in the mailed notices.
