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Rio Vista council orders owner to abate Highway 12 motel blight or face code enforcement
Summary
Citing persistent weeds, a failing fence and community complaints, the Rio Vista City Council directed staff to require the owner of the Highway 12 motel property to install a permanent fence and abate violations within 30 days or face notices of violation and city abatement at the owner's cost.
Rio Vista City Council members on Sept. 17 told the owner of a vacant motel on Highway 12 the city has reached the end of its patience over what council members described as a lingering blight problem. Bill Mortimore, a Rio Vista resident, urged action during public comment: "I'm done with it," he said, criticizing the property's appearance and marketing.
Council members and staff clarified the city's authority: staff can require compliance with municipal-code standards — for example to remove weeds or address unsafe fencing — but cannot compel an owner to sell or lease a property. Council direction was explicit: staff should contact owner Sam Panahi, seek a permanent fencing solution and allow 30 days for correction; if the owner fails to comply, staff will issue notices of violation and may abate the problem at the owner's expense. Panahi, who joined the meeting remotely, said he would arrange weed abatement and review fence options but asked for more time to implement a permanent fencing solution.
The council approved item 6.5 (the monthly planning/code-enforcement report) and recorded consensus direction tied to the Panahi property. On the vote to approve item 6.5 the roll call recorded unanimous support from present members (Council member Stanis: yes; Council member Donnelly: yes; Council member Bridal: yes; Vice Mayor Okamura: yes; Mayor Cott: absent).
