Code Enforcement Action News Release

Date: 3/8/19

Location: 4300 Block of Old River Road, Talmage, CA

Subject: Non-permitted structures, structure conversion and grading

Information: Since early 2017 the Code Enforcement Division has received more than 30 complaints regarding a residence in the 4300 Block of Old River Road, Talmage, CA.

 The complaints were for illegal cannabis cultivation, conversion of structures without permits, tree removal, grading without permits and the construction of new structures without permits.

 Over the last two years Code Enforcement Officers conducted numerous inspections of the property and issued notice of violations for all regulatory building and grading violations on the property. The property owner would make minor efforts to correct some violations, including removing the non-permitted cannabis only to place the cannabis back on the property, usually within weeks of removal. This resulted in Law Enforcement eradicating the cannabis at least twice within the last two years.

 The property owner failed to correct the building and grading violations called out in the notice of violations and was subsequently issued progressive administrative citations which resulted in penalties owed in excess of $200,000.00.  In the Fall of 2018 the County then initiated judicial action in the Mendocino County Superior Court against the property owner to seek injunctions to correct the many violations on the property and for judgement for the administrative penalties owed.

 On March 8, 2019, the County obtained a court judgment for the code enforcement action against a property owner for violating the County’s building regulations. The judgment included an award of $223,600.00 to the County for unpaid administrative penalties, and three injunctions, restraining the property owner from continued maintenance of the property in violation of the law and ordering the owner to take all actions necessary to abate the conditions causing the violations.

 If the property owner does not comply with the Court’s Orders, the County will seek further remedy from the Court to enforce those orders.

 The Code Enforcement Division receives all Cannabis and General Code Violation complaints in the unincorporated areas of the County. Complaints can be made in person at our offices or by visiting our website at: www.mendocinocounty.org/government/codeenforcement to file an online complaint. Cannabis specific complaints can also be filed by calling the Cannabis Complaint Hotline at: (844) 421-WEED(9333).