SEAL BEACH : City-County Graffiti Removal Pact OKd

City officials have agreed to help the county in its efforts to remove graffiti from public facilities.

The City Council recently approved a city-county tagging abatement agreement that grants the county new powers to remove graffiti from county-owned property within the city.

The pact gives county officials the right to walk through city property in order to clean graffiti off county-owned sites such as storm drains and flood-control facilities. Many of these sites are on city property.

The agreement simplifies the task of graffiti removal. Before the pact, county officials were required to get the city’s permission each time it needed to travel through city property.

The county is seeking similar agreements with other cities as part of its expanded efforts to remove graffiti.

As part of the abatement program, the county hopes to also paint over graffiti on private property near county sites--but only after officials receive permission of the property owners.