CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Officials with the city of Clearlake are moving ahead with seasonal notification to property owners of the need to deal with overgrown weeds and vegetation to both reduce the likelihood of fire and address blight.
Each year from May 15 to Nov. 1 there is an increased fire danger throughout Northern California due to excessive weeds and brush.
Such dry, overgrown vegetation are excellent fuel for fires and can be a threat to people, structures and animals.
Last year’s Clayton Fire, and the 2015 Valley, Jerusalem, and Rocky fires have increased awareness of the danger of overgrown weeds and vegetation.
Clearlake City Manager Greg Folsom said the city was extremely lucky not to have suffered the devastating damage that so many of its neighbors have. At one point, the fire was in the path of the Rocky fire and later the Clayton fire.
In February, the Clearlake City Council adopted a strategic plan for improving the city of Clearlake, Folsom said.
He said one of the primary adopted goals was to make Clearlake a visibly cleaner city and one of the identified objectives was to eliminate weeds citywide.
With the very wet winter that the county has experienced, Folsom said the weeds and vegetation are especially great this year and Clearlake Code Enforcement staff are currently notifying property owners to remove the overgrown weeds and vegetation.
It is the responsibility of property owners to keep their properties free of overgrown weeds and vegetation. Folsom said that not only is it unsightly and contributing to neighborhood blight, but it also can be a fire hazard.
Folsom said the city of Clearlake is teaming up with the Lake County Fire Protection District to enforce ordinances designed to reduce blight and reduce fire hazards.
Failure to remove overgrown weeds and vegetation after notification by the city’s Code Enforcement staff can lead to significant fines, he said.
“We are going into the tourism season and the city of Clearlake is working on a number of programs to reduce visual blight and make Clearlake a visibly cleaner city,” Folsom said. “Keeping your property free of weeds and overgrown vegetation will not only improve the image of Clearlake as a wonderful vacation spot, but it will also improve the image of your neighborhood and improve your property value.”
“The city is expending tremendous efforts in code enforcement to clean up garbage throughout the city and eliminating abandoned vehicles,” said Clearlake Finance Director Chris Becnel, who oversees Code Enforcement. “Property owners need to help by cutting down the overgrown vegetation on their property. So avoid fines and do your part. But more importantly, make Clearlake a nice looking place for all of us and our visitors by cutting down your weeds.”
Clearlake Waste Solutions is the city of Clearlake’s franchise waste hauler. The company provides containers for landscape green waste, as well as normal trash and recycling.
South Lake Refuse and Recycling operates the Quackenbush Mountain Compost Facility for larger loads needing disposal. Quackenbush Mountain is located at 16520 Davis St., Clearlake.
City of Clearlake notifies property owners of need to abate overgrown weeds, vegetation
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