Gearhart resident Margaret Marino served notice to the City Council Wednesday, Aug. 1. Citing the city’s ordinance which calls on the city to administer enforcement of its noxious weed ordinance. “This is my request for enforcement on city property,” Marino said during public comment.
She said she was focused on city property outside of the beaches and dune zone and outside of the beaches and dunes overlay zone.
“I’m asking the city to enforce the removal of noxious weeds there,” Marino said.
Recent city code amendments set rules for trimming beach vegetation and provide guidelines for emergency and construction vehicles.
Chapter 92 in the city’s code calls for the owner or person in charge of property to “abate natural growths” on property. If not, the person in charge and the owner could be liable for the cost of abatement.
After the meeting, City Administrator Chad Sweet said the council is committed to removing noxious weeds to allow beach grasses to thrive on the dunes.
Sweet said the city is working on mapping and prioritizing noxious weed locations. He has recently issued access permits allowing crews to remove Scotch broom and other noxious weeds from two private properties on Ocean Avenue.
The city began cutting Scotch broom on the E Street beach access on Wednesday, Sweet added.
Marino said she did not take the step of issuing public notice easily. “I’m trying to flush out what is really going to happen,” she said.
Credit: www.dailyastorian.com
