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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles City Council approved a motion Wednesday seeking to address a nuisance property in the San Pedro community, which has drawn the ire of nearby residents due to alleged illegal dumping and other unlawful activity.
Council members voted 11-0 to support a resolution introduced by Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the 15th District, including San Pedro, to declare the property at 603 N. Gaffey Place a public nuisance. Additionally, the council directed its Board of Public Works to expedite notices and documentation that my be necessary to ensure the abatement of the property.
Council members Bob Blumenfield, John Lee, Katy Yaroslavsky and Marqueece Harris-Dawson were absent during the vote.
"For the record, I want to be very clear, that this is just one the ways that we can go after a particular piece of property that is creating problems in the neighborhood," McOsker said prior to the vote.
The parcel is located in a residential neighborhood near Leland Park. McOsker described the property as a vacant lot with no building there, and as a result, he said, the property sort of "escapes" the city's enforcement.
"There are agencies that can't go in and do not have the authority to enforce because it's a vacant parcel, and there is a lack of clarity from my perspective on how we enforce nuisances at a parcel like this," McOsker said.
McOsker noted that the property owner has been absentee. Additionally, the owner has resisted calls to work with city officials to address the illegal dumping, as well as stop the congregation of individuals who are conducting illegal activities, he said.
"So, what we are doing today, is we are proceeding on a very traditional nuisance abatement process where we declare a nuisance, and then it goes over to the Board of Public Works, which provides a notice and a hearing is held," McOsker said.
Once the board finds a property a nuisance, the city usually goes in, erects a fence, removes any material and fines the property owner for the abatement.
McOsker added that there's been a criminal referral, and a notice to the Administrative Citation Enforcement Program to address issues at the property. The ACE Program falls under the City Attorney's Office Outreach and Restorative Justice Division, which is a non-criminal approach to nuisance abatement and quality-of-life offenses.
"This is now in front of the problem property team on the criminal side of the City Attorney's Office, and I am urging them to proceed quickly," McOsker said. "I want to make sure that we are proceeding ... on all three fronts, and any other front that we have."