- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
City of Lakeport outlines hazardous weed abatement program requirements
The city of Lakeport hazardous weed abatement regulations outlined in Section 8.28 of the Lakeport Municipal Code define dry vegetation creating fire hazard conditions as a nuisance and outline a procedure that allows the city to abate declared nuisance properties if property owners do not self-abate such identified hazardous vegetation in a timely manner.
Dry vegetation is required to be abated at least once between May 1 and June 1 each year.
The weed abatement standards are not a one-time observance. A property owner will likely need to remove dry vegetation on their property more than once during the year.
The recent wildfires in Lake County have shown the community how imperative it is to prepare against wildfires and proper maintenance and abate hazardous weeds regularly during the high fire months, April through October.
Mowing weeds must be done safely. One small spark from a mower blade hitting a rock can result in a large fire. All mowing should be completed as early in the morning as possible, while temperatures are low, humidity is high, and grasses are still damp with dew. When mowing, always have a water fire extinguisher or other source and pointed shovel handy. Mow early and often.
Hazardous weed abatement violation process
Following the devastating wild fires of the past few years the city of Lakeport and the Lakeport Fire Protection District have engaged in a more aggressive dry vegetation abatement program.
City and fire department personnel will begin assessing properties on June 1 for compliance with the city's hazardous weed abatement regulations.
Properties identified as being out of compliance will receive a notice of noncompliance and a resolution will be prepared for the attention of the Lakeport City Council to declare all parcels with dry vegetation creating a fire hazard to be a nuisance.
Those properties that are in noncompliance will be issued administrative citations and a fine of $100.
In accordance with the city's administrative citation processes – Lakeport Municipal Code Section 8.30 – additional escalating fines ranging between $100 and $500 may be assessed for each additional day that the violation persists.
