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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS01-City Administrator ~""",,"'-,"--"--":" - CIO' OF SAN BERNARDOO - REQUOT FOR COUNCIL ~c:)ON . From: MARSHALL W. JULIAN City Administrator Subject: IMPLEMENTATION OF EXPANDED VEHICLE ABATEMENT PROGRAM (VAP) Oept: June 29, 1989 Date: Synopsis of Previous Council action: 12-1-88 -- Responsibility of Vehicle Abatement Program (VAP) from private property transferred to Public Buildings Division from Fire Department. 6-7-89 -- Allocation of $20,000 to Police Department for abatement and removal of abandoned vehicles. Recommended motion: 1. That the Board of Building Commissioners be requested to hear appeals from owners of abandoned vehicles whose vehicles are abated as part of the VAP. 2. That the $20,000 in CDBG funds allocated to the for the abatement of abandoned vehicles be made Finance, to offset the costs incurred by Public abating and removing abandoned vehicles. '" Police Department available through Buildings in ,. ~(.). ''Y~'w,....r~re - "."" Contact person: Marshall W. Julian Phone: 5122 Supporting data attached: yes Ward: FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: $20.000 CDBG funds Source: (Acct. No.) (Acct. Descriotion) Finance: Council Notes: Agenda Item No. S -I cf;Jy OF SAN BERNAR.Q.O - REQUQT FOR COUNCIL AC~ON , STAFF REPORT RECOMMENDED MOTIONS CONT'D: 3. That the city Attorney be requested to review the ordinances/resolutions governing the abatement of vehicles on public and private property, in light of the proposed expanded program and prepare and/or modify such regulations as may be necessary to be enacted. 4. That the bail schedule of the City of San Bernardino establish the sum of $100.00 as the fine/bail in the event the owner of an abandoned vehicle fails to abate the nuisance within the allotted time. The abatement of abandoned vehicles citywide, by Public Buildings will require additional personnel and vehicles. As indicated in Mr. OVerstreet's memorandum, the State has taken action to assist jurisdictions through the DMV. We are not prepared to finance the three additional personnel, radios and vehicles until the 1989-90 Budget is a little more firm. There are actions which can be taken at this time; however, preparatory to instituting the program, and these are set forth as Recommended Motions for your consideration. JUSTIFICATION FOR PLACEMENT ON SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA In view of the accelerating problem of abandoned automobiles accumulating throughout the City, it is considered urgent to to clear as many procedural matters as possible, and thus be prepared for full implementation. 75-0264 o CITY 09SAN BER9ARDI INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM NO o NO.3 '33 . TO: FROM: SUBBCT: DATE: COPIES: Marshall W. Julian. City Administrator ~. , . <', " ~. i'~ ./4r/ ~~ ~ ;""0./ S' C -.,). ;Y,,, T.9Pn ~ "... .. Q 0'.7" -,,':.., "~~L'>~ "'" . '.). ':,(.~ N' ~ Wayne Overstreet. Supt. Public Buildings/Pa Public Buildings/Parking Control' BXPANDED VEHICLE ABATBMENT PROGRAM (VAP) June 13, 1989 Mayor, City Administrator, Director of Public Works. Chief of Police. Fire Chief. Director of Community Development. City Clerk. City Attorney. Director of Building and Safety ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 1988 the responsibility of the Vehicle Abatement Program (VAP) fer private property was transferred from the Fire Department to Public Buildings by the Mayor and Common Council (reference Ordinance No. MC-645. dated Dec. 5. 1988). The responsibility for abatement of vehicles from public areas was also added to this Division. within our assigned parking control beat area that generally run north to south from 27th to Mill Street. and west to east from Mt. Vernon to Waterman, and one additional Parking Control Checker. vehicle, radios. etc. were authorized. We asked, and it was concurred with. that we be allowed time to stream line the administrative procedures before any attempt was made to expand the program. We have reached that mile stone with our procedures. except for the hearing process. The present hearing process. designated by the City Administrator, is the Traffic Commander of the Community Support Division of the Police Department. We believe that it would be more cost effective, economical and efficient program if all hearings were heard by the Board of Building Commissioners. such as. code compliance. weed abatement, etc, and would eliminate duplication of effort. It would also eliminate the need to establish separate hearing and administrative procedures. Our present VAP has been in full operation since January 16. 1989. As of the end of May, 1989 we have received a total of 722 complaints, 310 on private property and 412 on public property. We have abated 51 on private property. plus 4 truck loads of vehicle parts, and 183 on public property. We are also averaging 15 to 21 complaints per day and have had 234 volunteer abatements o. o o o . BXPANDED VAP Page - 2 after the second contact was made with property owners, which leaves us 234 complaints that we have been unable to work as of this date. If we continue accumulating the back log at our present rate, we will after one year end up having 564 complaints on the books that we will be unable to respond to. I believe this to be unacceptable. Recommend the vehicle abatement program be expanded by the following: (a) Divide the town into four equal geographical areas (approximately 22 to 24 square miles per area). (b) Approve the addition of three Parking Control Checkers, vehicles, and radios. (c) Assign appeal hearing procedures to the Board of Building Commissioners. (d) Approve the application of $20,000 CDBG funds for public services projects in order that we may concentrate in census tracts 42, 43, 44, 47. 48, 49, and 57. · Additional funding for this expanded program could be financed by additional revenue generated under the new state law (Assembly Bill 4365) that was signed into law by the Governor, February 19, 1988. This law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to refuse to issue or renew a drivers license to any person who has failed to appear regarding an abandoned vehicle citation and providing proof of payment of such cost. The City of San Bernardino could adopt an ordinance making such an abandonment of a vehicle a violation of our municipal code and establish a bail schedule for such offenses of not less than $100.00. This fine or bail, we believe, would provide the City of San Bernardino additional funds of approximately $100.000 per year. Additional revenue could also be provided the City if an ordinance was adopted for us to issue citations for unregistered vehicles. This would provide $20,000 to $40,000 additional funds also. If this expanded program was adopted, and Parking Control Checkers were assigned specific boundaries to concentrate vehicle abandonment on both private and public property, we believe that we could at least keep up with the growth of the V AP and by a coordinated joint effort with the Code Enforcement Offices of Building and Safety, and with the City Attorney's assistance, eradicate the major portion of the blight area within the City of o. o o o . BXPANDED VAP Pap-s San Bernardino within two years. and could sustain that effort in the future at the expense of offenders and absentee land owners. This Division stands ready to meet this new challenge and to provide all the assistance necessary for its implementation. Ig,.~v aST"'T, Supt. ~dinS/Parking Control WO:mal File: Parking Control 11 1112 .