Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (AVA) program

DISCUSSION/DIRECTION with respect to creation of an Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (AVA) program was held at the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting in Loyalton on Tuesday, August 15th.  Supervisor Lee Adams stated this program was proposed to this board 20 years ago and the board declined it. The State gives each county $1 per vehicle. Adams felt this was not a huge hit but would raise some money to help abate abandoned vehicles on public lands. He thought Sierra County could cut and paste another county’s program, so there wouldn’t be a lot of staff time involved. He added adjoining counties all have a similar program. Adams felt the most important hurdle was to ask the City of Loyalton to see if they would be interested. He stated for the program to work, both agencies have to agree and would have to be adopted by a 3/5 vote of both the Board of Supervisors and City Council. He would be more than willing to author a letter to ask City Council to consider this program as well. Supervisor Scott Schlefstein stated this would be for abandoned vehicles on public property, but felt most of the problem was on private property and asked how do they address this. Adams this is only to go after abandoned vehicles on public property, adding they do have code section on private property to go after residents creating blight. Beals told Schlefstein it was a zoning issue if there’s a junk yard on private property. Adams supported trying to clean up private property, but didn’t think the public should be funding it. Supervisor Jim Beard stated he would not support any type of a tax or fee increase. Sergeant Don Peterson of CHP oversees Portola outpost, which includes Loyalton and Sierraville. Peterson handed out vehicle code and said he requested officers out of the Portola office to check Loyalton and Sierraville areas to look for and identify any abandoned vehicles. He said in the last ten days, they have removed three vehicles off highways that have expired registration of 6 months or more. He stated, yesterday alone they issued seven park citations. Peterson stated part of the problem is tow companies that will remove abandoned vehicles at the request of CHP, need some way of getting repaid, so that’s why other counties use the $1 a vehicle abatement program. Sierra County Planning Director Tim Beals encouraged the Board to approve this program.  He said without a viable program and funding source they are often not able to remove vehicles or if they are removed there’s no way to get reimbursement. He felt this program was critical to the county’s right of way. From the audience Eileen Benson asked if the vehicles will be towed out of the trailer park. Beals stated that is private property and would not be under the program.  Motion was made and approved with Supervisor Beard voting no.