OXNARD : Council Approves Anti-Graffiti Plan

The Oxnard City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a graffiti-removal plan that would make it illegal to sell aerosol paint to minors and would provide a reward of up to $250 for information leading to the arrest of graffiti vandals.

The plan, which will be evaluated after a six-month trial, also requires the city attorney to draft a law requiring convicted vandals or their parents to pay for graffiti removal, according to a staff report.

Under the proposal, the city will spend $12,500 to hire a part-time maintenance worker to coordinate volunteer graffiti-removal crews from service organizations, neighborhood groups and churches, the report said. The part-time worker--called the graffiti-removal coordinator--will also investigate the possibility of using convicts from work-furlough programs to remove graffiti.

The sale of aerosol paints to people under the age of 18 is already a violation of state law, but city officials said it would strengthen the city program to have such an ordinance.

An additional $15,000 will be spent on a publicity campaign and include the purchase of advertising in newspapers, and on radio and TV, the report said.

According to the report, the city will try to pay for most of the program through federal grant funds.

The city will provide $5,000 a year for rewards, which will be disbursed in increments of up to $250 to people who provide information leading to the arrest of graffiti vandals.

The city has an annual $75,000 contract with a sandblasting firm to remove graffiti from private property visible from any street. The Parks and Recreation Department also spends up to $400,000 annually to remove graffiti from city parks and public grounds.

In drafting the graffiti-removal program, city staff interviewed officials from eight cities and two school districts. The survey found that the most successful programs try to eliminate graffiti within 48 hours after it is reported, city officials said.

Although city officials said they believe that removal of graffiti within 48 hours would be desirable, it could cost an additional $600,000 to hire enough people to remove graffiti in that time and to investigate and apprehend vandals.