North Fair Oaks continues to suffer from large amounts of illegal dumping and littering. The Board, by approving this ordinance, beefed up the enforcement tools to discourage illegal dumping an littering. In short, the amendment adds Chapter 3.50, Illegal Dumping and Littering to Title 3 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code.
This ordinance makes it possible to seek administrative fines (up to $3,000) for the dumping of large quantities of waste and to fine those with motor vehicles who illegally "drive and dump" and property owners whose tenants illegally dump. The ordinance also requires public outreach and education efforts and the creation of a program to allow people to work off their fines through the Sheriff's Work Program and cleaning up the neighborhood.
This enforcement tool is part of a larger effort that includes:
--The launch of the "Report It! SMC!" app that makes it possible for people with smartphones or computers to report illegal dumping online,
--The Sheriff's Work Program weekly clean-up of reported illegal dumping,
--The Adopt-a-Block Clean-up Pilot Program that was launched at Fair Oaks Community School,
--The Sheriff's towing of abandoned vehicles from the neighborhood,
--The Code Enforcement's Grafitti Abatement Program that began in April. More than 317 sites have been cleaned up thus far!
--The Annual NFO Clean-Up Event! Join us! This year it will be on Saturday, June 4th from 9-Noon!
--A mattress rebate program
--The stepped up Code Enforcement efforts led by Wayne Hoss to clean up unsafe, hazardous, and illegal sites,
--And updates in the newsletter, on nfoforward.org, and other community outreach efforts.
Have a good idea to tackle this problem? The Supervisor would like to hear it.
(This photo was taken at the Woodside Road pedestrian overpass - not in North Fair Oaks - but the problem isn't only in North Fair Oaks.)