Whack Weeds or Face Fines in Napa

It’s time to dust off the yard trimmers and whack down those pesky weeds and out-of-control high grasses.

Property owners who don’t comply will be looking at stiff fines from the city.

The city’s weed abatement program kicked off last Monday, according to Napa Fire Marshal Darren Drake.

“It’s fire season. We want people to get out there and cut down those weeds and overgrown vegetation,” Drake said.

Drake added the heavy and prolonged winter rains have increased the fire fuels and once the vegetation dries out it becomes a high risk for fires.

The city's weed abatement ordinance, established in 2009, lasts from late spring until the end of fire season, which is usually in late September or early October.

Tom Huey, Napa city weed abatement inspector, started canvassing city properties a week ago.

“I posted 15 signs that day,” Huey said. “Last year we posted signs on 215 properties citywide.”

Around June 1, the city sent courtesy notices to property owners who have a history of weed abatement citations.

The process to clear properties of hazardous fire fuels starts when Huey posts a sign on the property.

Using property tax records, Huey determines the owner of the land and sends them a notice. “That’s in case they don’t live in the area or if someone removes the signs,” he said.

There is also a $100 administration fine issued to the property owners, who are given 10 days to comply with the notice.

If they don’t, the owner gets another $200 citation, and the land is cleared by the city contractor with the costs billed to the property owner.

The contractor’s cost isn’t cheap. It can start around $250 and go higher, depending on the size of the property and the amount of work, Drake said.

“The city has the option of going to the (city) council and requesting a lien be placed on the property if the owner does not pay. If we still don’t receive payment, the bill is sent to a collections agency,” Drake said.

Huey said about 85 percent of violators comply when they  receive the first notice.

“We have some out-of-town owners, but really not that many,” he said.

Not only must weeds be cleared when owners receive the first notice: The property must be maintained throughout the fire season.

In addition to driving around looking for weed-problem properties, Huey said he also follows up on people who call the Weed Abatement Hotline at (707) 257-9275.

Callers may remain anonymous, but "it is nice if they leave a contact number," he said. "That way if we have trouble finding an address, we can call back and get further directions.”

The City of Napa offers some tips to property owners:

• Do weed abatement before 10 a.m., to beat the heat.
• Never use a lawn mower on high weeds or grasses. A rock hidden in the grass can start a fire when struck by a metal blade.
• Always use a weed trimmer.

More information is available from Napa fire prevention at (707) 257-9590.