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Published on 11/23/1998 All articles from this issue

Close the loophole, address graffiti

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Editorial

Did you know that Los Altos has a weed abatement ordinance, but nothing currently in the books specifying graffiti cleanup?

Mountain View has a graffiti ordinance. And it's tough and clear. Graffiti is unlawful, and a property owner has 10 days to get rid of it - or the city will. Even on private property. Los Altos has no such recourse.

Developers at the Tree Farm site, where a residential inn complex plan remains in limbo, are not in any rush to clean up the graffiti-laced perimeter walls around the property along El Camino Real.

The same rules applying to weed abatement should apply to graffiti: Give the property owner a warning and so many days. If there's no response, city crews erase the graffiti and bill the owner for the expense.

It seems a simple addition of the words, "and graffiti," to the current weed ordinance, would take care of the problem. It may be more complicated than that to those of us who aren't lawyers or on the city council, but this loophole should be closed. Soon.

At their Nov. 24 meeting, council members agreed to put this on a future agenda.