SIMI VALLEY : City to Start Trash Abatement Program

Simi Valley residents with junk, trash or abandoned cars in their yards are being advised to clean up the mess or face the possibility of being taken to court by the city.

Jocelyn Reed, the city’s director of environmental services, said the city will begin an intensive trash abatement program Monday. She said city code enforcement officers, with assistance from the Simi Valley Police Department, will work to seek out trash violators.

Reed said the city has been conducting its aggressive cleanup campaign every summer since 1986. The rest of the year, she said, the city’s cleanup efforts concentrate on answering residents’ complaints and conducting spot-checks of areas where trash accumulation has traditionally been a problem.

Reed said residents found in violation of city ordinances outlawing trash, abandoned vehicles and junk storage on their lawns or unpaved property will receive a written warning from the city. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, residents could receive up to three warnings before the case is referred to the city attorney’s office for prosecution, Reed said.

In the past, she said some violators have received fines of up to $500, along with a court order to clean up their trash. The city will also seek restitution for attorney’s fees and staff time involved in the case, she said.

“We do pursue” legal action, Reed said. “So it’s best people take care of their problem as soon as they’re notified.”