REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Jennifer Villasenor, Director of Community Development
PREPARED BY: Jimmy Hoang, Code Enforcement Manager
Subject:
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Adopt Resolution No. 2025-19 declaring weeds and rubbish a public nuisance and scheduling a Public Hearing on May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to hear protests and objections to the abatement
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Statement of Issue:
Each year, the City identifies privately-owned properties with excessive weeds and/or rubbish that constitute a public nuisance. To address these concerns, the City Council adopts a Resolution declaring the City’s intent to abate the nuisance on the identified properties.
Financial Impact:
Declaring properties as a public nuisance has no financial impact on the City.
After the Public Hearing and subsequent removal of weeds and/or rubbish, the City will recover the costs of abatement by assessing the property owners through their property tax bills.
Recommended Action:
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Adopt Resolution No. 2025-19, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach Finding and Declaring That Certain Weeds Growing in the City, and Rubbish and Refuse Deposited on Public Ways and Private Property are a Public Nuisance; and Fixing the Time for Hearing Protests and Objections to the Abatement Thereof.”
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not adopt the resolution and provide alternative direction to staff.
Analysis:
The California Government Code authorizes local governments to declare weeds and rubbish a public nuisance as a necessary step before initiating abatement. Consistent with this authority, the City of Huntington Beach has incorporated weed abatement requirements into Municipal Code Chapter 8.16 (Weed Abatement).
Under HBMC Section 8.16.020 (Nuisance Declared), property owners must keep their land free of weeds or other flammable materials that pose a fire hazard.
To enforce these requirements, the City Attorney’s Office has prepared Resolution No. 2025-19, which:
• Declares certain weeds, rubbish, and refuse on specific properties are a public nuisance.
• Sets May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. as the date and time for a Public Hearing to consider objections.
• Authorizes the City to post notices and proceed with abatement if necessary.
Property Identification & Notification:
• This year, 134 undeveloped or vacant properties have been identified as requiring abatement (see Attachment 1, Exhibit A).
• Affected properties will be posted with a Notice to Destroy Weeds and Remove Rubbish and Refuse.
• Property owners will also receive official letters notifying them of the May 6 Public Hearing and the City’s pending weed abatement efforts.
After the Public Hearing, if no valid objections are raised, the City will proceed with abatement of non-compliant properties. The cost of the abatement will then be assessed to the property owners through their property tax bills, ensuring that there is no fiscal impact on the City.
Environmental Status:
The removal of weeds, refuse, and rubbish from undeveloped private properties is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(h), which exempts the maintenance of existing landscaping and native growth.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. Resolution No. 2025-19, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach Finding and Declaring that Certain Weeds Growing in the City, and Rubbish and Refuse Deposited on Public Ways and Private Property are a Public Nuisance; and Fixing the Time for Hearing Protests and Objections to the Abatement Thereof,” including Exhibit A: 2025 Weed Abatement - Vacant Parcels Private Ownerships
2. PowerPoint Presentation