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A new graffiti ordinance in Livermore is now being enforced as of Jan. 1, which requires graffiti to be cleaned up by property owners within seven days after the vandalism occurs.
The ordinance was passed unanimously by the Livermore City Council on Nov. 27 as a routine matter on the consent agenda of that evening’s meeting, with no discussion or public comments.
Approval of the ordinance meant adding a subchapter to existing regulations outlined under graffiti abatement policies in the city’s municipal code that underline the illegality of graffiti and vandalism on city property and add requirements for property owners to clean up graffiti, as well as a means of recourse for the city if the seven-day requirement isn’t met.
“This ordinance aims to encourage property owners to promptly remove graffiti from their property by offering guidance and assistance, while also providing a mechanism for the City of Livermore to act in cases of non-compliance to mitigate the negative impact of graffiti vandalism and ensure timely removal,” city staff wrote in the ordinance which formally went into effect 30 days after it was approved.
The city posted a notice about the new regulations to their Instagram account on Dec. 20, pointing to their goals of addressing growing concerns about graffiti and vandalism in city limits and seeking to put a halt to the uptick.
“The intent of the ordinance is to clean up graffiti as quickly as possible to avoid attracting additional graffiti,” officials said on Instagram. “Graffiti has become a pervasive issue that causes aesthetic degradation, blight and public safety concerns. The graffiti ordinance helps maintain the community’s visual appeal, protect public and private property and promote a sense of safety and security among residents.”
Under the ordinance, graffiti incidents that are identified by enforcement officers will result in an abatement notice being submitted to the property owner or another responsible party, such as a tenant or business owner, describing the incident and directing them to clean up the vandalized property within seven days of the notice.
Property owners and other responsible parties can submit a request for an administrative hearing with the city’s community development department contesting the notice within 48 hours of it being issued.
If no action is taken to either remove the graffiti within the designated timeframe or request a hearing within 48 hours, the city will undertake cleanup efforts and charge property owners for the expense, with workers allowed to enter the property in question if necessary for cleanup efforts.
