OCEANSIDE
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Three plants – arundo, pampas grass and tamarisk – may be declared noxious public nuisances by the City Council on Wednesday.
Violation of a city code can carry a fine, but City Attorney John Mullen said yesterday that if the council bans the plants, he foresees a different type of enforcement.
The property owner will be asked to remove the plants.
If that doesn't occur, city crews or contractors can do the job and bill the property owner.
Such actions, called weed abatements, are subject to public hearings, Mullen said.
The campaign against the plants was begun by Councilwoman Esther Sanchez.
At the Feb. 20 council meeting, Sanchez proposed an ordinance banning the three plants, which she called flood and fire hazards that also soak up precious water.
The proposed law does not forbid the sale of the plants, although Mullen said he does not know of anyone who sells them in Oceanside.
Code enforcement manager Dave Manley said in a report to the council that it would be cost-prohibitive to survey all the properties in the city looking for nuisance plants.
“It is recommended that local environmental groups specifically trained in invasive plant species identification, prevention and eradication provide the necessary education and assistance to property owners in maintaining their property clear of vegetation,” he said.
The council is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday in chambers at 300 N. Coast Highway. Other items on the agenda include:
A redesign of The Belvedere mixed-use project on Horne Street. The new proposal lowers the height to five stories and reduces the amount of office and retail space.
An agreement with a Los Angeles consulting firm for $260,000 to prepare a Coast Highway Vision and Strategic Plan.
A no-cost lease for a veterans organization to use a former police station.
Whether to reject all bids for an affordable-housing project on 15 city-owned acres on Mission Avenue near Foussat Road.
Lola Sherman: (760) 476-8241; lola.sherman@uniontrib.com
