The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with the abatement at Anchor Marina on Bethel Island.
According to the County, the estimated cost for removal of all trailers, recreational vehicles, boats, the unpermitted electrical system, tires, batteries, car parts, construction equipment, junk, garbage, and debris to be $80,000.00.
Staff told the Board of Supervisors that approximently 20-30 people were living on the property, but has decreased as occupants have accepted shelter elsewhere.
If the County Abatement Officer performs the work of the abatement and the property owner does not pay, the actual cost of the work and all administrative costs will be imposed as a lien on the property after notice and a hearing, and may be collected as an assessment against the property.
County Staff told the Board of Supervisors that Anchor Marina has a long history of building and zoning code violations that have become increasingly dangerous and a threat to the occupants and those in the surrounding community.
County staff have been dealing with this property since 2007 from people living on the property and storing recreational vehicles, travel trailers, boats all without permits. In 2019, the code violations were increasing and becoming more hazardous—they showed several images.
In 2019, county staff highlighted they noticed more people living on the property without permits or proper sewage system. More unpermitted electrical wiring was occurring and increasing garbage. In 2020, a boat caught fire and sank with oil and gasoline released into the waterways.
In 2022, the property became unsafe according to staff. In October 2022, three large vehicles burned with debris still on the property. Electrical has since been cut off on the property which is causing the well pump being inoperable thus eliminating the only source of drinking water from the property. It also resulted in the increased in electrical generators for occupants to generate electricity to RV’s and trailers which has created a fire hazard. Raw sewage was also being released onto the grounds.
In recent months, Contra Costa Health Services has provided services to occupants on the property from providing meals, to health services and other services along with shelter placements. The county said they are working with occupants of the property to help place them in other areas for shelter.
An updated Notice to Abate was then issued on April 6,2023 with an appeal coming on April 16 which resulted in Tuesdays hearing. Staff noted the two people appealing with not the property owners, but other people living on the property and staff said they have not heard from the owners in many months.
Bethel Island resident Mark Whitlock spoke at the meeting highlighting he was excited to be at the meeting because they could “finally put this issue to bed” explaining the pictures do no justice and how the piles of trash are a tall as a single story house and 30 yards from another home. He urged the Board to do what was necessary to abate while helping the residents on the property find other housing and services.
Scott Bennedict also spoke highlighting the property has deteriorated and code enforcement was accurate with their report. He said he felt badly about the people living there, but understands many living on the property have refused county services. He said abatement would resolve a lot of issues.
Al Wagner, one of the owners of Anchor Marina, said he urged the county to abate the property so he could sell it and move on.
Supervisor Diane Burgis stated she was glad the item was before the Board highlighting this goes back to 2007 and inspections over the years.
“The first thing I want to say to the tenants is this is not your fault. To the landlord, you have been collecting money and that is an interesting thing that there is all this money going out and there is this situation,” said Burgis. “I hear you, you want this abatement, I want this abatement. I’ve been on the Board of Supervisors for 7-years, this is the one issue that makes me not want to sleep at night because I worry about you. When the Ghostship fire happened, I thought of this place. Its not safe.”
She highlighted the main issue with the property is no one is safe on it and Bethel Island has one way in and one way out and up until last year there was 9-people (East Contra Costa Fire) protecting 250-square miles and Bethel Island is way out there. She highlighted several fires, including a fatal fire on a boat. Without power, they cant fight fires because they cant pull the water.
“I understand you have to move, but you are in a place you are not supposed to be, in conditions you shouldn’t be in,” stated Burgis. “As a human being, you shouldn’t be around the filth, around the danger, you need to be safe. That is why we are stepping in and holding people responsible.”
She urged people living on the property to take the help they are being offered from the county because if they don’t take the help, they are not going to get it–she urged them to lean in, listen, hear the timing and do what they need to do because they are not in a safe place.
The timeline is anticipated to begin within 10-days as that is the notice to get in code compliance for the property, should the owner not be in compliance, there would be a 2-week notice for the abatement. Health Services would continue be going to the property to offer services. Staff is hopeful at the end of 24-days, they hope to not have to get the Sheriff involved to take action.
Staff said the county has no agreement with the property owner. A contractor would conduct the abatement at approximately $80k. The property owner would be billed. If not paid for the cost, its charged to the property—a lien when the property is sold, the county gets the money out of the sale.
Supervisor Federal Glover said he supported the abatement and this is not fair to the tenants and their living conditions.
Supervisor Ken Carlson urged the property to be get ready because it doesn’t end just because people are removed from the property because of the environmental issues that also must be addressed. He pointed out the docks and the boats are in the waterway and are not part of the abatement.
Staff confirmed they are not part of the abatement and would work with marine patrol and evaluate the docks, which could be blocked off.
“Be ready, you have a lot of work still to do. We spend a lot of our time and energy working hard to protect our delta, delta waterways and environment. You are messing it up and it is on you,” stated Carlson. “It will not be over just because we take a garbage pile away and a few trailers away.”
Statement issued by Supervisor Diane Burgis:
This week at the Board of Supervisors meeting, my colleagues and I voted unanimously to abate the Anchor Marina property on Taylor Road in Bethel Island.
I am relieved to know that we are finally moving forward to correct a dangerous and unhealthy situation in Bethel Island. This has been an issue going back over a decade and getting worse in recent years, but Covid restrictions made it difficult to do anything during the pandemic. We can now move forward to make the community of Bethel Island safer by removing the dangerous and unhealthy conditions that frankly were out of control. We have committed to the residents living on the property to give them the help they are willing to take. We will have folks from our Health department reaching out daily in person to find out how we can assist each individual in finding safer and healthier living arrangements.
I am grateful to my colleagues, county staff and the community of Bethel Island in working with us on this.
For more information about the abatement action please view the May 9, 2023 staff report, as well as photos of the property over the years.
Per the Staff Report:
AFFIRM the County Abatement Officer’s determination in the Notice and Order to Abate by finding that the subject property constitutes a public nuisance in that it contains all of the following:
a) All trailers, recreational vehicles, and boats located on the subject property that are being used for human habitation without the necessary permits or authorizations constitute violations of Sections 84-68.1402 and 84-68.1404 of the Contra Costa County Ordinance Code.
b) All trailers, recreation vehicles, and boats located on the subject property that are being used for human habitation are in an unsafe and unsanitary condition, including inadequate sanitation, lack of running hot water, lack of adequate heating, lack of electrical lighting, lack of connection to a sewage disposal system, lack of garbage removal services, nonconforming electrical wiring, lack of domestic water supply services, faulty weather protection, and the there is an accumulation of junk, garbage and debris in violation of Section 84-68.1402 of the Contra Costa County Code and California Health and Safety Code, Sections 18865(f) and 18771(c);
c) The electrical system consisting of generators and extension cords used to provide power to the various occupancies located on the subject property was installed without the necessary permits, does not use commercially supplied electricity, and is in use without authorization from the County building official, in violation of Sections 72-6.202, 76-2.002, 76-4.602, and 76-4.608 of the Contra Costa County Ordinance Code;
d) Domestic water supply service and sewage systems are not present to serve the occupancies located on the subject property in violation of Section 82-2.020 of the Contra Costa County Code.e) There are unpermitted junkyard conditions on the subject property, including the storage of trailers, recreational vehicles, and boats and the accumulation of tires, batteries, car parts, construction equipment, junk, garbage, and debris, in violation of Sections 88-4.402 and 720-2.006 of the Contra Costa County Ordinance Code.
4 comments
They may want to add another zero to that number. Look at the pictures, there is no way that property can be abated for 80k. Whatever staff member estimated that needs to be fired. Supervisor Burgis with the typical enabler mindset with the “it’s not your fault” staetment. IT IS THEIR FAULT. Nobody forced them to live like animals. Clean your own SH!T up.
Yep, I am sure of that. No third world country person would do it that cheap!
The landlord is responsible to enforce things, but to tell the tenants that is ” not their fault” is comical. Can we stop with the coddling? This is why youve been dealing with this crap since 2007!
I am with an animal rescue group in East Contra Costa County and assisted the people that lived there with spay and neuter of their animals for years.
Although the county only allowed a permit to have five people living there,
even under previous ownership there were more people living there than permitted.
As an observer what shocked me is when the county allowed all the power, sewer, water and especially garbage service to be turned off , 2 years ago. I suppose they thought people would move out if they did this, unfortunately this just made the situation worse, and quite frankly was the wrong move. There are elderly individuals that live there on fixed income and have medical issues.
I am now trying to relocate some of the animals that will be left there if anyone can help please text me at 925-382-5249.
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