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Graffiti in Green Lake

What do you think? (5 Comments) April 20, 2010 at 4:23PM

Have you noticed a bit of an uptick in the amount of graffiti in Green Lake?

I’ve been wincing every time I drive by a particularly large set of tags that popped up recently along a cement wall on East Green Lake Drive N.  In order to not give the tagger any more glory, I’m not posting a picture of these tags.  You’ve probably seen them too, though.  They are hard to miss.

I asked Brandon Wright, owner of Green Lake Pressure Washing and Graffiti Removal, to point me in the direction of some information about graffiti and its removal.  (Full disclosure: Green Lake Pressure Washing is a My Green Lake advertiser.)

Brandon sent me some information about Seattle’s Graffiti Nuisance Ordinance.

From Seattle Public Utilities (SPU):

The Graffiti Nuisance Ordinance requires property owners to remove graffiti in a timely manner, or have the property considered a nuisance and dealt with through the 4 steps below. It was adopted in 1994 to encourage the rapid cleanup of graffiti and to prevent its spread throughout the community. SPU’s Graffiti Prevention Program enforces the ordinance.

How the Graffiti Nuisance Ordinance is Enforced

1. Once a property has been identified as a potential graffiti nuisance, usually through a call to the Graffiti Report Line, SPU sends an informational letter to the property owner. The letter requests the property owner to remove the graffiti with a reasonable amount of time (10 days after receiving the letter) or be subject to potential fines. The letter includes information about how to remove graffiti and offers resources for free paint.

2. If the graffiti is not removed within the specified time, the property is declared a graffiti nuisance. The property owner (or responsible party) is served official notice, either personally or by certified mail. The notice must also be posted on the property. The graffiti must be removed within 10 calendar days after receipt of the notice.

3. If the graffiti is still not removed 10 days after the official notice has been posted, the responsible party is served a notice of civil violation and hearing directing them to appear before the City’s Hearing Examiner. The hearing must be held between 10 and 30 calendar days from the date the notice is issued. If the graffiti is removed at least 48 hours prior to the hearing, the hearing will be canceled and no monetary penalty will be assessed.

4. The Hearing Examiner will assess monetary penalties of up to $100 per day, with a maximum of $5,000, beginning on the correction date (10 calendar days after the receipt of the official notice), or on a subsequent date set by the Hearing Examiner.

Brandon adds:

I feel this can be tough on people, especially in this economy.  So I get a phone call every so often from someone who got this notice and is concerned about how much this is going to cost.  I offer special rates to those people.  I will take 15% off my estimate if they have received the letter to remove it in 10 days.  I also let them know that I can have it removed within 48 hours.

It’s also worth noting that Brandon will remove hate-based and gang-related graffiti for free.

____________________

Dealing with graffiti?

  • Report graffiti for removal on public property, or graffiti that has not been removed from private property, via the Seattle Public Utilities Report Graffiti Form or call the Graffiti Report Line at (206) 684-7587.
  • Call the Seattle Police Department at (206) 625-5011 to file a police report when graffiti appears on your property.

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What do you think? (5 Comments)
  • LisaChan

    Yup, that's my neighbor's retaining wall. I was sad for them that they have to pay to have that cleaned up. What a nuisance.

  • http://www.Inklingbooks.com/ Mike Perry

    Given the city's nasty 'fix or fine' policy, I strongly suggest not reporting graffiti on private property. Yes, someone will eventually call it in, but if you and I don't, these unfortunately victims will have a bit more time to come up with the money. On the other hand, graffiti on public property should get vigorous action. Report it immediately and call every day until it gets fixed.

    Were I a city councilman, I take one more step. I'd amend the our Graffiti Nuisance Ordinance to require more from city officials. For instance, a second offense on specific owner's property would require the city to supply that owner with the pricey special paint that makes graffiti much easier to remove. If these people can't be bothered to catch and effectively prosecute these criminals, they should at least have to come up with the money to prevent third and later offenses.

    Tweaking the criminal code would help too. Eight hours of community service for every square inch of graffiti sounds about right to me. Even once offense would prove very painful, particularly if the work involved scrubbing off graffiti.

  • http://www.Inklingbooks.com/ Mike Perry

    Given the city's nasty 'fix or fine' policy, I strongly suggest not reporting graffiti on private property. Yes, someone will eventually call it in, but if you and I don't, these unfortunately victims will have a bit more time to come up with the money. On the other hand, graffiti on public property should get vigorous action. Report it immediately and call every day until it gets fixed.

    Were I a city councilman, I take one more step. I'd amend the our Graffiti Nuisance Ordinance to require more from city officials. For instance, a second offense on specific owner's property would require the city to supply that owner with the pricey special paint that makes graffiti much easier to remove. If these people can't be bothered to catch and effectively prosecute these criminals, they should at least have to come up with the money to prevent third and later offenses.

    Tweaking the criminal code would help too. Eight hours of community service for every square inch of graffiti sounds about right to me. Even once offense would prove very painful, particularly if the work involved scrubbing off graffiti.