City Manager Toni Lundgren wasn’t too happy with what she saw when she drove around Manteca.

The subject of her frustrations; Municipal property riddled with weeds,

“It doesn’t make me happy the City is issuing weed abatement citations when they haven’t cleared their properties,” Lundgren said.

The City Council provided the solution Tuesday when they authorized a three-year, $360,000 contract with the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

The county’s Great Valley Conservation Corp will eradicate weeds from 28 municipal parcels ranging from 0.25 acres to 16 acres.

The city’s weed ordinance requires grass and weeds be shorter than 6 inches in height.

 If a violation exists, the property owner will receive a written courtesy notice requesting the property owner to cut the weeds or vegetation within 30 days of the written notice. If the property owner fails to comply within the given time, the City will then proceed to hire an independent contractor to mow the property.

The owner will be responsible for the cost of the contractor’s work. In addition to the abatement costs, the property owner will also receive a municipal infraction citation with a mandatory penalty of $100 for the first offense, and $200 for each subsequent offense.

Rules for weed control can be found in Municipal Code Chapter 8.16 and are available for viewing on the city’s website at www.ci.manteca.ca.us.

If you have questions about the weed abatement program or would like to report a property that is not being maintained, call the Fire Prevention Bureau at (209) 456-8340.