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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06021992 - 2.3 ~' #2.3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SE..L. � Contra FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator o Costa June 2 , 1992 County DATE: q �uc•T' Status of Contra Costa County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement SUBJECT: Authority SPECIFIC REOUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECONMUMATIONS 1. Accept this report from the County Administrator on the status of Contra Costa County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Service Authority. 2. Consider the designation of the County Administrator and/or his designee to continue as County representative . on the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Service Authority. 3 . Acknowledge efforts and cooperation of the Sheriff-Coroner and his staff in assisting in the formation of the Authority. 4. Direct. the County Administrator to continue discussions and efforts on possible development of an auto buy-back program using County funds which would be allocated by the Authority. 5. Acknowledge the efforts of the Sheriff-Coroner and Building Inspection Department in continuing to support an abandoned vehicle abatement program,. and direct that they continue to do so out of their individual department funding sources until monies are allocated from the State Controller. 6 . Request that the County Administrator report back to the Board of Supervisors in 90 days regarding allocation of funding by the state to the Service Authority. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON June 2, 1992 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X APPROVED the recommendations of the .County Administrator on the County Administrator on the County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program, and RECOMMENDED that the County Administrator request the State Department of Motor Vehicles to change the reference "county fees" to "local services fees" to better represent the various agencies, (i .e. , the BAMID, the State, and the County) involved in administering clean air regulations, emergency call boxes on highways, and abandoned vehicle programs. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X _ _ _ 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED June 2, 1992 Bullding Inspection PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Sheriff-Coroner SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Auditor-Controller County Counsel BY M382 (10/88) - FISCAL IMPACT: The number of current registered vehicles in the County is estimated at 719,315 as of December 31, 1991. The allocation of monies are based on percentage of population within the County. The County' s share from the additional $1 . 00 would be $129, 477. Given a five-year charge projection of 1. 5% annual increase in registered vehicles statewide, the County will receive an estimated $620 ,000. YEAR 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Vehicles 719,315 730,105 741,056 752 ,172 763 ,455 County $129,477 $131 , 419 $133, 390 $135,391 $137,422 Share TOTAL $667 ,099 Less State and Authority Operating Costs for 5 Years <$ 46 ,672> ESTIMATED TOTAL $620 ,427 In subsequent years this figure will be adjusted to reflect vehicle registration growth and population percentages by the cities and counties as of January 1 of each year. BACRGROIIND- Under AB 4114 (Chapter 1684 , Statutes of 1990, authority was given to the Board of Supervisors, by a 2/3 vote, and a majority of the cities representing a majority of the incorporated population to establish a service authority for the abatement of abandoned vehicles and to impose a $1 vehicle registration fee. In order to implement this legislation, staff of the County Administrator took the effort to set up a Service Authority by accomplishing the following: 1. Complying with guidelines issued by the California Highway Patrol on abandoned vehicle abatement programs. The attached letter indicates successful compliance with their guidelines. 2. Setting up a process which was to provide for but not be limited to: a. an estimate of the number of abandoned vehicles; b. a disposal and enforcement strategy including contractual agreement; and C. appropriate fiscal controls. 3 . Transmitting the CHP approved plan to the State Controller by January 1, 1992 for imposition of an additional $1 fee for five years on new registrations or re-registrations. This has been accomplished given the letters by the DMV and State Controller. Also included as confirmation is a registration notice listing the new temporary fee. The DMV indicated that the registration renewals started on May 1, 1992 and are scheduled to continue through September 1996. The first allocation of monies collected is slated to be disbursed in July 1992. Negotiations are currently occurring which would have the DMV and State Controller spread their collection of administrative and operation costs through several quarters in order to minimize the impact on monies to be allocated to the service authorities. Under AB 4114 the authority was to be staffed by existing county and city personnel. Presently as shown by the attached roster, this is being done by staff. The legislation requires that composition and membership must be concurred by the Board of Supervisors and a majority of the cities having a majority of the incorporated population. COUNTY PROGRAM At present the County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program is split between the Sheriff-Coroner and Building Inspection Department. The Sheriff is responsible for abatement of vehicles on public property and roadways. Building Inspection is responsible for the abatement of vehicles on private property. Each department is employing the equivalent of one full-time person to identify, track; tag and implement abatement proceedings. The monies that will be received will help defray the costs to the departments. These costs have been absorbed by the Building Inspection Department. However, with permit fees reflecting the recession, Building Inspection has not had adequate funds to entirely support the program costs. Hence, the recommendation that each department be asked to continue absorbing the costs of this function until such time as monies are made available from the state. Included in the County AVAP efforts will be the exploration of a buy-back program to turn in vehicles before they reach an abandoned status. As previously stated this is a program which was successfully implemented in the Los Angeles area to buy back older gas-guzzling vehicles. Supervisor Powers has made this a referral to the County Administrator for review on its feasibility. SUMMARY The problem of abandoned vehicles continues to persist in this County. However, the monies provided by the new $1. 00 fee will provide for a more responsive manner of identifying, tracking and abating vehicles at a small cost to the taxpayers. Given the number of requests by citizens for abandoned vehicle abatement, this is money that will allow for a visible reinforcement that County programs, given funding and an adequate level of personnel, accomplish what citizens want done. In this case, the removal of a condition that: a. reduces value of private property; b. promotes blight and neighborhood deterioration; C. invites plundering; d. serves as a potential fire hazard; e. provides an attractive nuisance; and f. jeopardizes the health, safety and general welfare of citizens.