CC SR 20260519 02 - 2064 Galerita Dr. Special Assessment Final Update
PUBLIC HEARING – ADJUDICATIVE (SPECIAL ASSESSMENT)
Date: May 19, 2026
Subject:
Consider recovering nuisance abatement costs on the property located at 2064 Galerita Drive
(APN: 7550-004-025) (Case No. CBLD2022-0027).
Recommendation:
1) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-__, 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
$22,249.65, TO RECOVER ABATEMENT COSTS ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2064 GALERITA
DRIVE (APN 7550-004-025) (CASE NO. CBLD2022-0027);
2) Direct Staff to submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection in the next
applicable tax roll year the confirmed abatement costs in the amount of $22,249.65 for the
property located at 2064 Galerita Drive (APN: 7550-004-025).; and,
3) 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 2064 Galerita Drive
(APN: 7550-004-025).
1. Report of Notice Given: City Clerk Takaoka
2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Seo
3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Seo
4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Brandy Forbes, AICP, Director of Community Development, and
Brittany Peña, Code Enforcement Officer
5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias):
6. Public Testimony:
Testimony from the Property Owner (if present):
Property Owner: John A. McCowan
Mayor Seo invites the Property Owner to speak. (3 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 Seo invites brief rebuttals by the Property Owner (3 mins)
8. Council Questions of the Property Owner (factual and without bias):
9. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Seo
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.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 05/19/2026
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing
AGENDA TITLE:
Consider recovering nuisance abatement costs on the property located at 2064 Galerita
Drive (APN: 7550-004-025) (Case No. CBLD2022-0027).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-____, 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 $22,249.65, TO
RECOVER ABATEMENT COSTS ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2064
GALERITA DRIVE (APN 7550-004-025) (CASE NO. CBLD2022-0027);
2) Direct Staff to submit to the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection in
the next applicable tax roll year the confirmed abatement costs in the amount of
$22,249.65 for the property located at 2064 Galerita Drive (APN: 7550-004-025).;
and,
3) 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 2064 Galerita Drive (APN: 7550-004-025).
FISCAL IMPACT: The City is seeking reimbursement of the abatement costs incurred
by the Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement
Division for the abatement action plus legal fees in the amount of
$22,249.65, by recording a lien on the owner’s property and
collecting on the lien through the owner’s property tax bill, pursuant
to Special Assessment and Notice of Lien provisions in Chapter 8.24
(Property Maintenance) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code
(RPVMC). For now, the costs incurred were funded through Code
Enforcement Division Professional Services in the Fiscal Year (FY)
2025-26 operating budget. VR
Amount Budgeted: None. Costs are reimbursable.
Additional Appropriation: None
Account Number(s): 101-400-4140-5101
(General Fund – Code Enforcement – Prof/Tech) VR
ORIGINATED BY: Brittany Pena, Code Enforcement Officer BP
REVIEWED BY: Brandy Forbes, AICP, Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
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ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Resolution No. 2026- (page A-1)
B. Stop Work Notice Letter to Property Owner dated April 1, 2022 (Linked)
C. Courtesy Notice Letter to Property Owner dated September 21, 2022 (Linked)
D. First Notice of Violation Letter to Property Owner dated March 6, 2024
(Linked)
E. Second Notice of Violation Letter to Property Owner dated March 27, 2024
(Linked)
F. Notice of Violation with new violations identified Letter to Property Owner
September 23, 2024 (Linked)
G. Final Notice of Violation Letter to Property Owner dated October 10, 2024
(Linked)
H. Notice and Order to Abate Public Nuisance dated October 20, 2025 (Linked)
I. Signed Order to Abate Warrant dated January 6, 2026 (Linked)
J. Itemized Account of Nuisance Abatement Costs dated March 3, 2026
(Linked)
K. Proof of Public Notice dated April 30, 2026 (Linked)
L. Photographs documenting abatement (Linked)
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is a residential lot that is improved with a single -family residence,
attached garage and hardscape/landscape. The subject property is located at the end of a
cul-de-sac along Galerita Drive just west of Montereina Drive off Western Avenue.
In 2021, the City’s Code Enforcement Division observed from the public right-of-way
potential violations of the RPVMC located at 2064 Galerita Drive. Code Enforcement Staff
continued to monitor the subject property from January 2022 to April 2022. On April 1,
2022, the City’s Code Enforcement Division provided written notification (Attachment B)
to the property owner, John A. McCowan, that the subject property was in violation of
RPVMC § 8.24.060 (Prohibited Activities and Unlawful Conditions), which included
unpermitted construction, expired permits, an inoperable vehicle, an accumulation of junk,
refuse, rubbish, lumber, and similar debris located on the subject property .
The Code Enforcement Division sent additional notices to the property owner to bring the
subject property into compliance in September 2022 (Attachment C), March 2024
(Attachments D & E) and September 2024 (Attachment F). The extended enforcement
activity was a reflection of the Code Enforcement Division’s continued efforts to work
collaboratively with the property owner to voluntarily comply with code requirements. In
February 2024, a new Code Enforcement Officer was reassigned to this Code case and
due to inactivity on the part of the property owner, a new Notice of Violation was issued
in March 2024 to restart the due process. The City’s Code Enforcement Division ultimately
issued a Final Notice of Violation (Attachment G) to the property owner in October 2024.
In March 2025, the matter was forwarded to the City Attorney’s Office for further
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enforcement action. After several attempts by the City Attorney’s Office to obtain voluntary
compliance, on October 20, 2025, the property owner was provided with a Notice and Order
to Abate a Public Nuisance (Attachment H). This Notice provided the property owner with
30 days to address the nuisance. In addition, on October 10, 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 .
Pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.080, within 10 days after the date of service of a notice, the
owner may appeal to the City Council. No appeal was filed by the property owner or other
interested party. Following the deadline, 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 January 6, 2026, a signed Order to Abate Warrant (Attachment I) 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, debris, rubbish,
miscellaneous item equipment, construction equipment, and salvage materials on the
subject property, which was completed on January 14, 2026, as documented in the
attached photographs (Attachment L). Abatement of the inoperable, abandoned vehicle
on the subject property was also completed on this day in coordination with Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s Department.
On March 3, 2026, pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.110, the Community Development
Department prepared an Itemized Account of Nuisance Abatement Costs (Attachment J)
incurred during the abatement of the violation on the property, totaling $22,249.65, which
was mailed to the property owner via certified mail. Abatement costs included property
maintenance, legal fees associated with abatement proceedings, and cost of City Staff
time for related inspections.
On April 30, 2026, pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.120, the Property Owner was again duly
notified, via certified mail, of the Community Development Department’s nuisance
abatement costs. On that same day, a public notice (Attachment K) was issued and
published in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News, providing notification of the City’s
abatement of the junk, debris, rubbish, and miscellaneous item equipment, construction
equipment, salvage materials, and all inoperable, abandoned vehicles on the subject
property and to confirm the proposed special assessment of the City’s costs, in the
amount of $22,249.65, to recover all costs associated with the abatement.
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.130, the City Council is being asked to conduct a public hearing
to consider approving the Itemized Account of Nuisance Abatement Costs in the amount
of $22,249.65 (Attachment J) unless the City Council finds that revisions, corrections, or
modifications are warranted. The City Council’s approval of the abatement cost must be
confirmed by resolution to fully recover City incurred costs, totaling $22,249.65 associated
with the abatement discussed herein (Attachment A).
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If approved by the City Council, the City Attorney and Finance Director shall execute and
file in the office of the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller, a certificate of Notice of
Lien, pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.150. in the amount of $22,249.65.
City Staff continue to monitor this property for code violations.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Public Correspondence
As of the preparation of this report, City Staff has not received any public correspondence in
response to the public notice issued on April 30, 2026.
CONCLUSION:
Based on the above, Staff recommends the City Council adopt the attached resolution
(Attachment A) confirming the report of nuisance abatement costs and authorizing a
special assessment, in the form of a lien in the amount of $22,249.65 to recover
abatement costs on the property located at 2064 Galerita Drive , direct Staff to submit to
the Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller for collection in the next applicable tax roll year
the confirmed abatement costs in the amount of $22,249.65, and 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.
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 2064 Galerita Drive (APN:7550-004-025); thereby requiring the
City to bear all costs associated with this abatement.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2026- _
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 $22,249.65, TO RECOVER ABATEMENT
COSTS ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2064
GALERITA DRIVE (APN 7550-004-025) (CASE NO.
CBLD2022-0027).
WHEREAS, in April 2022, the City’s Code Enforcement Division provided written
notification to the property owner, John A. McCowan, that the subject property was in
violation of Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC) § 8.24.060, which included
unpermitted construction, expired permits, an inoperable vehicle, an accumulation of junk,
refuse, rubbish, lumber, and similar debris located on the subject property ; and
WHEREAS, the Code Enforcement Division sent additional notices to the property
owner to bring the subject property into compliance in September 2022, March 2024, and
September 2024. The City’s Code Enforcement Division issued a Final Notice of Violation
to the property owner in October 2024; and
WHEREAS, in March 2025, after no progress to achieve voluntary compliance on
the part of the property owner of the subject property to address the violation, the matter
was forwarded to the City Attorney’s Office for further enforcement action resulting in the
issuance of a Notice and Order to Abate a Public Nuisance and a Notice of Intention to
Abate and Remove an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle or parts to
the property owner in October 2025; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.080, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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, which was granted in January 2026; and
WHEREAS, on January 14, 2026, the City’s Code Enforcement Division proceeded
with executing the signed abatement warrant, by abating all junk, refuse, rubbish, lumber,
and similar debris and abatement of the abandoned vehicle on the subject property was
also completed on this day in coordination with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department ;
and
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; and
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WHEREAS, pursuant to RPVMC § 8.24.110 of the RPVMC, the Code Enforcement
Division 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"; and
WHEREAS, in March 3, 2026, pursuant to RPVMC § 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 $22,249.65; and
WHEREAS, in April 30, 2026 pursuant to RPVMC § 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 May 19, 2026; and
WHEREAS, on May 19, 2026, 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 2064
Galerita Drive (APN: 7550-004-025) 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
abatement costs in the amount of $22,249.65 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 2064 Galerita Drive (APN: 7550-004-
025).
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 May, 2026.
Paul Seo, 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. 2026-____was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said
City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on May 19, 2026.
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
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