BUENA PARK : Law OKd to Force Graffiti Removal

The City Council this week gave final approval to an ordinance that requires residents to remove graffiti from their property.

Initiated by Police Chief Richard M. Tefank, residents must remove the writing from public view within 15 days or risk being charged with a misdemeanor.

In a report to the council, Tefank said that many residents just give up on the problem. “Graffiti on private property is left untouched by many property owners who either don’t care or don’t have the time and money to have it removed,” he said in the report. “Some property owners give up in exasperation and allow it to remain.”

Until now, crews could only paint over graffiti on public property which, according to staff reports, accounted for about 60% of the graffiti in the city.

Residents are now given two options--remove the graffiti themselves or allow the city to do so. The graffiti crew will remove the writing at no expense, but it does not have to provide a perfect color match for the paint.

At least two other California cities--Costa Mesa and San Jose--have adopted anti-graffiti laws. The Buena Park ordinance will go into effect next month.