Lake County Municipal Code Art. IV Graffiti Abatement

The Board of Supervisors declares that graffiti is detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the public in that it leads to blight; encourages gang activity; is detrimental to property values, business opportunities and the enjoyment of life; is inconsistent with the County's property maintenance goals; and results in additional graffiti and in other properties becoming the target of graffiti unless it is quickly removed from public and private property. Graffiti therefore constitutes a public nuisance and must be abated as quickly as possible to avoid detrimental impacts on the County and its residents, and to prevent further spread of graffiti. This article provides a procedure for the prompt removal of said graffiti.

(Ord. No. 2927, § 1, 7-13-2010)

(a) It is a violation of this article for any person to apply graffiti to any public or privately owned structure or property located within the unincorporated areas of the County of Lake.

(b) It is a violation of this article for any owner of real property located in the unincorporated areas of the County of Lake, and for any tenant, occupant, or user of any property therein, to maintain, permit, or allow graffiti to exist thereon, for a period in excess of ten (10) calendar days following service by the County of a Notice to Remove Graffiti as described in Section [13-23.3] herein. Each day the graffiti is maintained beyond the initial ten-day period hereby constitutes a separate violation and is subject to the penalties set forth in Article VII of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2927, § 1, 7-13-2010)

a. A statement that graffiti exists and that maintenance thereof constitutes a public nuisance.

b. A statement that the owner shall have ten (10) days after the date the notice is served to remove the graffiti.

c. A statement describing the standards for removal of the graffiti which must be employed as described in Section [13-23.2] herein.

d. A statement that if the property owner fails to either remove the graffiti or file a timely appeal, the County will initiate proceedings in accordance with this article to enter upon the owner's property and abate the graffiti at the owner's expense. Such abatement may be performed by County employees and/or independent contractors.

e. A statement advising the property owner of the right to appeal to the Board of Supervisors by filing written notice of the Appeal with the Clerk of the Lake County Board of Supervisors within ten (10) calendar days from the date of the Notice.

f. A statement that the failure to timely file a notice of appeal shall constitute a waiver of any hearing or appeal and implies consent to abatement by the County, allowing the County or private contractors to enter the property to abate, cover or remove the graffiti, the property owners' consent to pay all reasonable costs for such removal, which shall be confirmed in accordance with Article IV of Chapter 13 of the Lake County Code.

Costs of abatement may be recovered as provided in Article VI of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2927, § 1, 7-13-2010)