REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Adoption of a Resolution Ordering the Abatement of a Nuisance Consisting of Growing Weeds in Association with the County Weed Abatement Program for 2026
Report
BACKGROUND
Since 1976, the City has partnered with Santa Clara County's Weed Abatement Program, a critical initiative that enhances community safety, business environments, and neighborhood aesthetics by mitigating fire risk. Through systematic vegetation and debris management, the program reduces fire hazards, promotes a healthier environment, enhances the overall visual appeal of neighborhoods and business districts, and contributes to a higher quality of life for residents and businesses. This collaboration aligns with the City's goal of delivering efficient, cost-effective services while upholding fiscal responsibility.
The Weed Abatement Program, managed by the Santa Clara County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency (County), has enabled the City to leverage economies of scale, streamline operations, and maintain high service levels with minimal financial impact. Aligned with the California Government Code, Santa Clara Municipal Code Chapter 8.15 outlines the procedures for weed abatement. Property owners must conduct timely weed abatement activities on their properties. Despite notification, some property owners fail to maintain their properties in accordance with the County's minimum fire safety standards (Attachment 1). In such instances, the City authorizes the Santa Clara County Department of Consumer & Environmental Protection Agency to inspect, remove, and destroy weeds on noncompliant parcels or lots
The County Weed Abatement Program is a cost-recovery program solely funded by fees charged to property owners by the County of Santa Clara. Typically, a property is placed in the program Commencement Report by a County Weed Abatement Program Inspector who identifies a potential fire hazard during inspections within the City. The County can also receive referrals for potential hazards from community members or through service requests from City staff. A County inspector documents the hazard(s) present, photographs the hazard, and records the parcel's location with GPS to ensure accurate property identification. Once parcels are put on the Commencement Report, they will remain in the program for three (3) years to ensure ongoing compliance.
At the close of the County inspection season, once a property is placed on the County Commencement Report for the first time, the City will provide the property owner with another opportunity to demonstrate compliance with City Code Enforcement before the public hearing the following year. At the public hearing, the City Council will take action to determine whether the properties will remain in the official County Commencement Report and will be charged the basic inspection fee upon the second inspection of the property.
After the City Council declares weeds a nuisance (Attachment 2), the County program sends a notification packet to all the property owners in the proposed Commencement Report (Attachment 3). Once a property is included in the official County Commencement Report and the parcel complies with the County's minimum fire safety standards at the second County inspection, no further action is required beyond paying the basic inspection fee. If the property is found non-compliant during the second County inspection, the property owner will be charged an additional processing fee and will receive a final courtesy notice as a reminder to abate the identified hazard(s) within 15 days. The 15-day notification and/or program letters are sent to the legal address on file with the Tax Assessor's office. It is the owner's responsibility to keep this information up to date.
The county contractor will complete the work if the property owner does not abate the identified hazards within 15 days. The County's contractor utilizes environmentally conscious methods, limiting the hazard abatement to mowing and/or hand tools. The property owner is responsible for paying the contractor's costs and all applicable County administrative fees. All fees are included in the following year's property tax bill as a special assessment. This special assessment will remain on the property tax bill for at least three (3) years.
The partnership with Santa Clara County for weed abatement has been integral to maintaining the safety and aesthetics of our community. As part of the ongoing commitment to community well-being, there are options for weed abatement assistance for individuals with mobility or disability challenges.
In 2025, the Weed Abatement Program Commencement Report identified 262 non-compliant parcels or lots. Of these, 45 were removed from the list by the City Council, 7 were removed for providing building or landscaping that mitigated the issue, and 5 were removed for completing 3 years of compliance. Among the remaining 205 properties, 204 received inspections, incurring a $105 per-parcel or lot fee, generating $21,420. Of the 204 properties inspected, 67 parcels failed inspection. Of those, 29 required administrative enforcement action, incurring a $597 per-parcel or lot fee, for a total of $17,313. The remaining 38 parcels that failed inspection were brought into compliance voluntarily by their owners. Second inspections and, in some cases, third inspections were needed to verify compliance for some of those 38 parcels, while some parcel owners sent photos of corrective actions to the Weed Abatement Program and did not require any follow-up.
Nineteen (19) required physical abatement by the County's contractor and were charged the $961 administrative fee, generating $18,259. Thirteen (13) properties required a second inspection at $105 per parcel, bringing the total cost $1,383 per warrant. The individual parcel abatement costs varied by parcel size and abatement level. The total cost of abatements for 2025 were $55,100.64.
The cumulative charges assessed to City of Santa Clara property owners in 2025 totaled $185,246.65, which includes the fees assessed from April 2025 to July 2025 in the 2025 Weed Abatement Program Assessment Report (Attachment 4), the rollover fees from 2024, and the fees assessed from August 2025 to December 2025.
DISCUSSION
On February 10, 2026, the City Council passed a resolution declaring weeds a nuisance in alignment with Chapter 8.15 of the City Code. Subsequently, a Public Hearing was scheduled for March 24, 2026, to allow the public to express their concerns or objections to the 2026 Weed Abatement Commencement Report (Attachment 5). For 2026, the County has identified 201 non-compliant parcels or lots in Santa Clara. 181 properties were carried over from 2025, and twenty (20) properties were newly added to the list for 2026. The City’s Code Enforcement division has evaluated the 20 new properties added to the list this year and recommends removing four (4) properties from the Commencement Report, as they have demonstrated compliance since the last time the County inspected their property (Attachment 6).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Staff recommends that the City Council determine that the actions being considered are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to section 15308 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as the Weed Abatement Program is authorized by both state and local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The County Department of Consumer & Environmental Protection Agency will assess costs for the destruction or removal, including administrative fees, against the lot or parcel of land from which weeds have been destroyed or removed. Such costs shall constitute a lien upon said lots and be collected upon the following year's tax roll as a special assessment. Per the 2022 Amended and Restated agreement, if the tax assessments are insufficient to cover the program's costs, the County will invoice the City for its pro-rata share of the program's shortfall each December.
The City Council may remove properties from the Commencement Report and the associated fees incurred. However, if the County program does not fully recover its costs, the remaining amount needed for full cost recovery will be paid by the jurisdictions in the program, based on each jurisdiction’s share of the total number of properties in the County program. If the City Council removes a significant number of properties from the Commencement Report, rendering the program no longer financially viable within Santa Clara, the County may exercise its right to terminate the agreement.
The County has notified participating jurisdictions of a projected budget shortfall in FY 2026/27 due to reduced work order fees and decreased abatement activity in 2025. As a result, each participating agency will be invoiced based on its proportional share of properties within the County program. The City’s estimated cost for FY 2026/27 is $47,893, which represents 10.64% of the total parcels in the County program. The final invoice will be issued after June 30, 2026. If needed, staff will return to the City Council with proposed budget amendments at the second and final public hearing, tentatively set for July 14, 2026.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department, City Attorney’s Office, and City Manager’s Office
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Determine the proposed actions are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations;
2. Accept the recommendation from the City’s Code Enforcement for the removal of the four (4) properties who have demonstrated compliance from the County’s 2026 Commencement Report; and
3. Adopt a Resolution Ordering the Abatement of a Nuisance Consisting of Growing Weeds in the City of Santa Clara on the Identified Parcels in Accordance with City Code Chapter 8.15 and in Association with the County Weed Abatement Program (Attachment 7).
Staff
Reviewed by: Ruben Torres, Fire Chief
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026 Weed Abatement Brochure
2. Resolution No. 26-9535 - Declaring Weeds a Nuisance and Setting Public Hearing
3. 2026 County Weed Abatement Notification Packet
4. City of Santa Clara Weed Abatement Assessment Report 06.12.2025
5. Santa Clara Commencement Report 2026
6. Code Enforcement Properties Inspected 2026
7. Resolution Ordering the Abatement of Weeds 3.24.2026 DRAFT