CC SR 20250819 02 - Nuisance Abatement at 4 Peppertree Drive
PUBLIC HEARING
Date: August 19, 2025
Subject:
Consideration to recover nuisance abatement costs on property located at 4 Peppertree
Drive (APN: 7572-007-015) (Case No. CPM2024-0048).
Recommendation:
1) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-____, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES CONFIRMING THE REPORT OF NUISANCE ABATEMENT COSTS AND AUTHORIZING
A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, IN THE FORM OF A LIEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $27,897.78 TO RECOVER
ABATEMENT COSTS ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4 PEPPERTREE DRIVE (APN 7572-007-015) (CASE
NO. CPM2024-0048); and,
2) Direct Staff to submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection in the next
applicable tax roll year the confirmed nuisance abatement costs in the amount of $27,897.78 and
to direct the City Attorney and the Finance Director to prepare and cause to be recorded in the
Office of the Los Angeles County Recorder appropriate notices of liens which document the
amount of nuisance abatement costs assessed for the property located at 4 Peppertree Drive
(APN: 7572-007-015).
1. Report of Notice Given: City Clerk
2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Bradley
3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Bradley
4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Brandy Forbes, AICP, Director of Community Development and
Octavio Silva, Deputy Director of Community Development
5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias):
6. Testimony from members of the public:
Principal Parties 10 Minutes Each. The appellant or their representative speaks first and will generally be allowed ten minutes. If the
applicant is different from the appellant, the applicant or their representative will speak following the appellant and will also be
allowed ten minutes to make a presentation.
Appellant/Applicant: Peppertree Group LLC
Mayor Bradley invites the Appellant to speak. (10 mins.)
Testimony from members of the public:
The normal time limit for each speaker is three (3) minutes. The Presiding Officer may grant additional time to a representative speaking
for an entire group. The Mayor also may adjust the time limit for individual speakers depending upon the number of speakers who
intend to speak.
7. Rebuttal: Mayor Bradley invites brief rebuttals by Appellant/Applicants. (3 mins)
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Normally, the applicants and appellants will be limited to a three (3) minute rebuttal, if requested after all other interested persons have
spoken.
8. Council Questions of Appellant and Applicants (factual and without bias):
9. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Bradley
10. Council Deliberation:
The Council may ask staff to address questions raised by the testimony, or to clarify matters. Staff and/or Council may also answer
questions posed by speakers during their testimony. The Council will then debate and/or make motions on the matter.
11. Council Action:
The Council may: vote on the item; offer amendments or substitute motions to decide the matter; reopen the hearing for additional
testimony; continue the matter to a later date for a decision.
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/19/2025
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration to recover nuisance abatement costs on property located at 4 Peppertree
Drive (APN: 7572-007-015) (Case No. CPM2024-0048).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-____, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES CONFIRMING THE REPORT OF
NUISANCE ABATEMENT COSTS AND AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL
ASSESSMENT, IN THE FORM OF A LIEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $27,897.78 TO
RECOVER ABATEMENT COSTS ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4
PEPPERTREE DRIVE (APN 7572-007-015) (CASE NO. CPM2024-0048); and,
2) Direct Staff to submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection in
the next applicable tax roll year the confirmed nuisance abatement costs in the
amount of $27,897.78 and to direct the City Attorney and the Finance Director to
prepare and cause to be recorded in the Office of the Los Angeles County
Recorder appropriate notices of liens which document the amount of nuisance
abatement costs assessed for the property located at 4 Peppertree Drive (APN:
7572-007-015).
FISCAL IMPACT: The costs incurred by the Community Development Department for
the abatement action plus legal fees were $27,897.78 and were
funded through Code Enforcement Division Professional Services in
Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. If approved, the nuisance abatement
costs are assessed against the subject property and will be recorded
as a future receivable for the City. VR
Amount Budgeted: $71,000
Additional Appropriation: None
Account Number(s): 101-400-4140-5101 VR
[General Fund – Code Enforcement - Professional/Tech Services]
ORIGINATED BY: James Zoren, Code Enforcement Officer
REVIEWED BY: Brandy Forbes, Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
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ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Resolution No. 2025- (page A-1)
B. Notices to Comply dated March, May and August 2024 (Linked)
C. Administrative Citation No. 1692 dated September 2024 (Linked)
D. Notice and Order to Abate Public Nuisance dated January 2025 (Linked)
E. Signed Abatement Warrant dated March 2025, February 2025 photos and
March 2025 abatement completion photos (Linked)
F. Public Notice dated July 2025 (Linked)
G. Proof of Service Special Assessment and Payment Demand Letter (Linked)
BACKGROUND:
In March 2024, the City’s Code Enforcement Division provided written notification to the
property owner (Peppertree Group LLC) of the property located at 4 Peppertree Drive
Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 7572-007-015 that the subject property was in violation
of § 8.24.060 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC), which included an
accumulation of junk, refuse, rubbish, lumber, and similar debris located on the subject
property (Attachment B). The subject property is a vacant lot located on the east side of
Peppertree Drive just north of Palos Verdes Drive South in the Portuguese Bend
Community Association (PBCA). The notification also listed action items necessary to
bring the property into compliance, including removal of all debris and relocation of
vehicles onto paved surfaces.
The Code Enforcement Division sent additional notices to the property owner to bring the
subject property into compliance in May and August 2024 (Attachment B). Based on
noncompliance by the property owner, in September 2024, the Code Enforcement
Division sent Administrative Citation No. 1692 (Attachment C) to the property owner in an
effort to achieve compliance. In addition, due to the presence of inoperable vehicles on the
subject property, a Notice of Intention to Abate and Remove an abandoned, wrecked,
dismantled, or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof as a public nuisance was issued to both
the property owner and vehicle owners in October 2024. The property owner of the
subject property responded to the notice and stated that the vehicles were under different
ownership and placed on the subject property without permission. Subsequently, the
notice was rescinded.
After no progress to achieve voluntary compliance on the part of the property owner of the
subject property, in December 2024, the matter was forwarded to the City Attorney’s
Office for further enforcement action. After several attempts by the City Attorney’s Office
to obtain voluntary compliance, in January 2025, the Community Development
Department determined that an abatement of the nuisance on the property was needed ,
as the nuisance continued to exist pursuant to §§ 8.24.060 and 8.24.070 of the RPVMC.
The violations created a public nuisance because of the junkyard -like conditions on the
property. In January 2025, the property owner was provided with a Notice and Order to
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Abate a Public Nuisance (Attachment D), which provided the property owner with 30 days
to address the nuisance by abating all of the junk, rubbish, refuse, lumber, and similar
debris. In addition, in January 2025, a Notice of Intention to Abate and Remove an
abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle or parts was issued to the vehicle
owner of the inoperable vehicles on the subject property, which were ultimately abated
by the City’s Community Development Department and subject to a separate spe cial
assessment request.
Pursuant to § 8.24.080 of the RPVMC, within 10 days after the date of service of a notice
and order the owner, agent of the owner, lessee, occupant, or person in possession of
the property who may have been served with a notice and order, or any person interested
in the property affected by such notice and order, may appeal to the City Council. No appeal
was filed by the property owner or interested party. Following the deadline for the
voluntary compliance provided in the Notice and Order Abate, the City Attorney’s Office
proceeded with obtaining a warrant from the Los Angeles County Superior Court in order
to allow the City to abate the nuisance on the property.
On March 11, 2025, a signed Order to Abate Warrant (Attachment E) was obtained from
the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and the Community Development Department’s
contractor, Ocean Blue, proceeded with the abatement for the junk, rubbish, refuse,
lumber and similar debris on the subject property, which was ultimately completed on
March 19, 2025 as documented in the photographs provided in Attachment E.
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to § 8.24.120 of the RPVMC, in July 2025, the City provided notice (Attachment
F) to the property owner and published the notice in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News
indicating that the City Council, at its August 19, 2025 meeting, would be conducting a
public hearing to consider placing a lien on the subject property to recover costs incurred
for the abatement order based on the payment demand letter (Attachment G).
Pursuant to § 8.24.130 of the RPVMC, this evening the City Council is being asked to
conduct a public hearing to consider placing a lien on the subject property to fully recover
City-incurred costs totaling $27,897.78 associated with the abatement discussed herein.
The costs incurred include Ocean Blue’s services, disposal fees, the City Attorney’s time,
and City Staff’s time.
If approved, Staff will submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection
in the next applicable tax roll year the confirmed Nuisance Abatement Costs in the amount
of $27,897.78, for the City Attorney and for the Finance Director to prepare and cause to
be recorded in the Office of the Los Angeles County Recorder appropriate notices of liens
which document the amount of nuisance abatement costs assessed against the subject
property.
Staff has continued to monitor this property. There has not been any additional code
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complaints received. At the time of the latest inspections on July 28, 2025, no code
violations have been observed on the subject property (4 Peppertree Drive).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
2 Peppertree Drive
As a separate public hearing item on tonight’s agenda, the City Council is being asked to
consider placing a special assessment on the neighboring property, 2 Peppertree Drive, for
similar public nuisance abatement costs incurred by the City.
Public Correspondence
As of the preparation of this report, City Staff has not received any public correspondence in
response to the public notice issued in July 2025.
CONCLUSION:
Based on the above, Staff recommends the City Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment
A) confirming the report of public nuisance abatement costs and authorizing a special
assessment, in the form of a lien in the amount of $27,897.78 to recover abatement costs
on the property located at 4 Peppertree Drive (APN: 7572-007-015) and direct Staff to
submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection the confirmed nuisance
abatement costs of $27,897.78 and to prepare and cause to be recorded in the Office of
the Los Angeles County Recorder appropriate notices of liens for the property located at
4 Peppertree Drive (APN: 7572-007-015).
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available
for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not place a special assessment (lien) for nuisance abatement on the
property at APN:7572-007-015, thereby bearing all costs associated with
this abatement.
2. Do not place a special assessment, at this time, and direct staff to work
with the property owner to seek cost recovery one additional time.
3. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2025-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES CONFIRMING
THE REPORT OF NUISANCE ABATEMENT COSTS
AND AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, IN
THE FORM OF A LIEN IN THE AMOUNT OF
$27,897.78, TO RECOVER ABATEMENT COSTS ON
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4 PEPPERTREE DRIVE
(APN 7572-007-015) (CASE NO. CPM2024-0048)
WHEREAS, in March 2024, the City’s Code Enforcement Division notified the
owner, Peppertree Group LLC, of the property located at Assessor Parcel Number (APN):
7572-007-015, in writing, that the subject property was in violation of Section 8.24.060 of
the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (“RPVMC”) related to an accumulation of junk,
refuse, rubbish, lumber, and similar debris viewable from the public right-of-way and
neighboring properties;
WHEREAS, the City determined that the accumulation of junk, refuse, rubbish,
lumber, and similar debris constituted a public nuisance, pursuant to RPVMC §§ 8.24.060
and 8.24.070;
WHEREAS, in March 2024, May 28, 2024, and August 20, 2024, Code
Enforcement Division Staff issued multiple notices to the property owner requesting
compliance with RPVMC §§ 8.24.060 and 8.24.070 provisions;
WHEREAS, in January 2025, the property owner was provided with a Notice to
Abate which provided the property owner with thirty (30) days to address the nuisance by
abating all of the junk, rubbish, refuse, lumber, and related debris;
WHEREAS, following the deadline for voluntary compliance provided in the Notice
to Abate, the City Attorney’s Office proceeded with obtaining a warrant from Los Angeles
County Superior Court in order to allow the City to abate the public nuisance on the
property;
WHEREAS, in March, 2025, the City obtained a signed abatement warrant from the
Los Angeles County Superior Court;
WHEREAS, in March 2025, the City’s Code Enforcement Division proceeded with
executing the signed abatement warrant, by abating all junk, refuse, rubbish, lumber, and
similar debris and all other public nuisance conditions surrounding neighboring properties;
WHEREAS, California Government Code §§ 38773 and 38773.5 and Chapter 8.24
of the RPVMC authorize the City Council to assess all costs incurred for abatement of
violations which constitute a public nuisance as a lien against said property;
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WHEREAS, pursuant to § 8.24.110 of the RPVMC, the Code Enforcement Division
Staff prepared an itemized report of the costs incurred during the abatement of the
violation of the above referenced site, including the pursuit of legal action, which is
attached hereto as Attachment "A";
WHEREAS, in July 2025, pursuant to § 8.24.120 of the RPVMC, the City provided
notice to the property owner via publication in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News that the
placement of a lien upon the property would be considered by the City Council at its
meeting on August 19, 2025; and
WHEREAS, in July, 2025, pursuant to § 8.24.110 of the RPVMC, the property
owner was duly notified via certified mail of the Community Development Department’s
costs associated with the nuisance abatement, totaling $27,897.78;
WHEREAS, on August 19, 2025, pursuant to §§ 8.24.120 and 8.24.130 of the
RPVMC, the City Council held a properly noticed hearing regarding the assessment of
the abatement cost, at which time all interested parties were given an opportunity to be
heard and present evidence.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The City Council finds that the costs incurred by the Community
Development Department to abate the public nuisance on property located at 4
Peppertree Drive (APN: 7572-007-015), Rancho Palos Verdes are reasonable and correct,
and hereby confirms the Code Enforcement Officer's Itemized Account of Nuisance
Abatement Costs, attached hereto as Attachment “A.”
Section 2: The City Council hereby directs Staff to submit to the Los Angeles
County Auditor/Controller for collection in the next applicable tax roll year the confirmed
Nuisance Abatement Costs in the amount of $27,897.78 for the property located at 4
Peppertree Drive (APN: 7572-007-015), Rancho Palos Verdes. The City Council further
directs the City Attorney and the Finance Director to prepare and cause to be recorded in
the Office of the Los Angeles County Recorder appropriate notices of liens which
document the amount of Nuisance Abatement Costs assessed against the subject
property.
Section 3: Interested parties are hereby notified that the time within which judicial
review of this decision must be sought, if available, is governed by § 1094.6 of the
California Code of Civil Procedure.
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PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 19th day of August 2025.
David Bradley, Mayor
ATTEST:
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the
above Resolution No. 2025-____was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said
City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on August 19, 2025.
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
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