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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCDD FilesCity of San Luis Obispo, City Attorney’s Office, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93 401-324 9, 805.781.7 140, slocity.org April 22, 2024 Alex McLachlan 657 Howard St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Via First-Class and Certified Mail Email: alexinslo@sbcglobal.net alexinslo@gmail.com Re: NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL DECISION Appeal of Administrative Citation #00034623- CITATION UPHELD To Alex McLachlan: At your Administrative Citation appeal hearing on March 27, 2024, the Administrative Review Board reviewed the evidence and made the determination indicated above. The Administrative Review Board’s findings are attached. Pursuant to Government Code section 53069.4, you may seek judicial review of this decision by filing a further appeal with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court within twenty calendar days after service of this notice of decision and paying the filing fee as required by Government Code section 70615 to the San Luis Obispo Superior Court. To challenge the decision by writ, please refer to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5 or consult an attorney. If you file an appeal pursuant to Government Code section 53069.4(b)(1), you must serve either in person or via first-class mail on the City a copy of the notice of appeal. If no appeal is filed with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court within the time period set forth above, this notice of decision shall be deemed final. Unless you file an appeal with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court, your fine amount of $15,000 is due to be paid no later than thirty (30) days from the date of this letter. If paying by check, make the check or money order out to “City of San Luis Obispo” and mail to: Community Development Department, 919 Palm St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. You may also call in a debit/credit card payment at (805) 781-7180 (choosing option 6 for payments). Make sure to have the citation number ready when you call. If payment is not received within thirty (30) days, the matter will be turned over to the City’s collection agency. Sincerely, Sarah Zion Legal Assistant City Attorney’s Office Attachment: Adopted Resolution from the Administrative Review Board CC: Community Development RESOLUTION NO. ARB-07-24 A RESOLUTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW BOARD OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, DENYING THE APPEAL OF ALEX MCLACHLAN, OWNER OF 657 HOWARD STREET, AND UPHOLDING ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION NO. 00034623. WHEREAS,the Administrative Review Board (“Board”) of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a public hearing in Council Conference Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, commencing at 3:30 p.m. on March 27, 2024, on the appeal of Alex McLachlan (“Appellant”) of Administrative Citation No. 00034623 issued to Appellant on February 2, 2024 (“Administrative Citation”), for violation of structure set back requirements of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 17.18.020B at property owned by Appellant which is located at 657 Howard Street, San Luis Obispo, California (the “Subject Property”); and WHEREAS,notice of said public hearing was made at the time and in the manner required by law; and WHEREAS,Section 1.24.100 of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code establishes a right to appeal an administrative citation issued by the director; and WHEREAS,the Board duly reviewed and considered all documents and information presented, including the Administrative Citation; the City’s staff report and accompanying exhibits; the Appellant’s written appeal and accompanying documents, the oral presentations and responses to questions at hearing by City staff and Appellant, all written or other information submitted; and the evaluations and recommendations by staff presented at hearing. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Administrative Review Board of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. The Board finds: 1. The above statements are true and correct. 2. Board members present: a. Alex Karlin, Chair b. Linda Mielke, Vice-Chair c. Myles Couch, Member 3. The names of all individuals participating in the hearing and their capacity: a. Appellant: Alex McLachlan b. City staff: Nick Buckley, Code Enforcement Officer; John Mezzapesa, Code Enforcement Supervisor; Sadie Symens, Assistant City Attorney and legal advisor to City Code Enforcement staff; Mark Amberg, Assistant City Attorney and legal Resolution No. ARB-07-24 Page 2 advisor to the Board; Kelly White, City Analyst and staff liaison to the Board; and Sarah Zion, Legal Assistant and administrative assistant to the Board c. Additional Witnesses (either for or against Appellant): None. 4. The hearing was recorded by simultaneous audio and video recording, and such recordings are in the custody of the City Clerk. 5. The Appellant was present for the public hearing. 6. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 1.24.110(E), the Board received the Administrative Citation and supporting information (documents, photographs, exhibits, or materials prepared by City staff) concerning the Appellant’s violation of Municipal Code Section 17.18.020B as prima facie evidence of the Appellant’s code violation and of the facts stated in such documents. 7. The following items were submitted to the record, including, but not limited to, photographs, drawings, and documents: a. Appellant’s Administrative Citation Appeal, received February 8, 2024, including accompanying Statement of Reasons for Appeal and accompanying photographs; b. City staff report, posted to the City’s website on March 20, 2024, and accompanying Attachments A through T. c. Packet of documents, correspondence and photographs brought to the hearing by the Appellant and submitted to the Board. 8. The Board has decided to uphold the Administrative Citation 00034623, issued to Appellant on February 2, 2024, for violation of the structure setback requirements of Municipal Code Section 17.18.020B at the Subject Property, and to deny Appellant’s appeal of that Citation. 9. Although Appellant’s appeal also notes three previous citations issued by the City, which were a citation issued on July 11, 2023, a citation issued on August 2, 2023, and a citation issued on October 31, 2023, no appeal of those citations was filed within the ten- day period required by City code. Any attempted appeal of those citations was untimely, so those citations were deemed final and they are not the subject of this appeal. The only citation timely appealed is Administrative Citation 00034623, which is the only citation considered by the Board. 10. The Board made the following associated legal findings to uphold the Administrative Citation and deny the appeal: a. Administrative Citation 00034623 was issued to Appellant for violation of Municipal Code Section 17.18.020B for maintaining a structure (a shed) within the five-foot set back distance from the side and rear property lines of Appellant’s Resolution No. ARB-07-24 Page 3 property prescribed by Municipal Code Section 17.18.020B, without any exception listed in City Code or any exception that was requested or granted. b. Although it appears Appellant has had significant disputes with his neighbor, which may have included the removal of Appellant’s mailbox by his neighbor for a period of time, and that Appellant may have been gone on vacation for a period of time when Notices of Violation and Citations were mailed to Appellant and posted on the Subject Property, City provided, and Appellant received, statutorily required and sufficient notice of the Notices of Violation and the Administrative Citation. 11. The following witnesses testified at the hearing: City Code Enforcement Officer Nick Buckley, City Code Enforcement Supervisor John Mezzapesa, and Appellant Alex McLachlan. The Board found the testimony of each witness to be credible. The following summarizes the relevant testimony the Board finds most credible in support of its decision: a. Nick Buckley testified that he inspected/observed conditions on the Subject Property on numerous occasions between December 2022 and the date Administrative Citation that is the subject of this appeal was issued. These inspections/observation of conditions were made from the yard of neighboring property located at 667 Howard Street, to which code enforcement had access with the permission of the property owner of 667 Howard Street, and from the public right of way. From these inspections/observations, Mr. Buckley saw and determined that a shed on the Subject Property was located within five feet of the Subject Property’s side and rear property lines, in violation of the applicable five- foot set back requirement of City Municipal Code section 17.18.020B. Mr. Buckley further testified that he issued Notices of Violation and citations to Appellant for the violation, including Administrative Citation 00034623, by mailing the notices and citations to Appellant at the address of the Subject Property and by posting the notices and citations on the door of the Subject Property. b. John Mezzepasa testified that, from a review of the City’s Community Development Department files for the Subject Property, no requests were made by Appellant for any exception to the five-foot set back requirement for the shed in question on the Subject Property and no such exception was granted or applicable. c. Alex McLachlan testified that, although he disputes receiving one or more the prior Notices of Violation and citations, he received and filed an appeal for Administrative Citation 00034623. Mr. McLachlan also did not dispute that the shed in question is located within five feet from the side and rear property lines of Resolution No. ARB-07-24 Page 4 the Subject Property. 12. The Board also finds the following physical evidence to be credible in support of its decision to uphold the Administrative Citation and deny the appeal: a. Multiple photographs showing the location of the shed in question next to or up against the side and rear property lines of the Subject Property. SECTION 2. Action: Based on the above findings, documentation, and information submitted in support thereof, the Administrative Review Board hereby denies the appeal of Alex McLachlan related to property he owns located at 657 Howard Street, San Luis Obispo, California, and upholds Administrative Citation No. 00034623 issued February 2, 2024, for violation of the setback requirements of City Municipal code section 17.18.020B. The due date for payment of the fine, which is in the amount of fifteen thousand and no/100 dollars ($15,000.00), shall be thirty (30) days after the date this resolution is mailed. SECTION 3. Appeal or Review by Writ.This Resolution is the City of San Luis Obispo’s final administrative decision, under Municipal Code Section 1.24.140(A), on the Administrative Citation. A person contesting this decision may do so in either of two ways. First, pursuant to California Government Code Section 53069.4(b)(1), within 20 days after the service of this Resolution, a person contesting this decision may seek review by filing an appeal to be heard by the Superior Court of the County of San Luis Obispo. Alternatively, a person contesting this decision may file a petition for writ with the Superior Court of the County of San Luis Obispo. The time within which the petition must be filed, and the applicable requirements are governed by the California Code of Civil Procedure. Either the appeal or the petition for writ filed with the court must contain proof of service showing a copy of the appeal or petition for writ was served upon the city clerk. The petitioner must pay the superior court the appropriate court filing fee when the appeal or petition is filed. Upon motion of Vice-Chair Mielke, seconded by Board Member Couch, and on the following roll call vote: AYES: Board Member Couch, Chair Karlin NOES: None ABSTAIN: Vice-Chair Mielke ABSENT: None The foregoing resolution was adopted this 17th day of April 2024. ________________________________________________________________ Alex Karlin, Chairperson Date of Signature PROOF OF SERVICE - 1 - PROOF OF SERVICE STATE OF CALIFORNIA; COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO I am employed in the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California. I am over the age of 18, and not a party to the within action. My business address is 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93401. On April 22, 2024, I caused the foregoing document described as NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL DECISION to be served on the interested parties in this action by placing true copies thereof enclosed in sealed envelopes, addressed as follows: Alex McLachlan 657 Howard St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Email: [X]By United States Mail: I enclosed the documents in a sealed envelope addressed as indicated above. I am readily familiar with the office’s practice of collection and processing documents for mailing. It is deposited with the U.S. postal service on that same day in the ordinary course of business. I am aware that on motion of the party served, service is presumed invalid if the postal cancellation date or postage meter date is more than one day after the date of service. [X]By Certified United States Mail: I enclosed the documents in a sealed envelope addressed as indicated above. I completed and attached to the envelope the additional form required for this type of delivery. I am readily familiar with the office’s practice of collection and processing documents for mailing. It is deposited with the U.S. postal service on that same day in the ordinary course of business. I am aware that on motion of the party served, service is presumed invalid if the postal cancellation date or postage meter date is more than one day after the date of deposit for mailing in affidavit. [X] Courtesy Copy by E-mail: I caused this document to be transmitted via e-mail to the e- mail address listed above. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on April 22, 2024, at San Luis Obispo, California. _____________________________ Sarah Zion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          