TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: County Counsel and Supervisors McCowen and Williams
MEETING DATE: November 5, 2019
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Christian Curtis
PHONE:
234-6885
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Supervisor McCowen
PHONE:
463-4221
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Supervisor Williams
PHONE:
463-4221
ITEM TYPE: Regular Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: 15 min.
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Discussion and Possible Adoption of an Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Price Gouging Following the October 2019, Public Safety Power Shutoff Events
(Sponsors: County Counsel and Supervisors McCowen and Williams)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Adopt Urgency Ordinance prohibiting price gouging following the October 2019, Public Safety Power Shutoff Events; and authorize Chair to sign same.
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
On October 31, 2017, the Board of Supervisors adopted an Urgency Ordinance regarding price gouging following the Redwood Complex Fire event.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
On October 30, 2019, the Mendocino County Director of Emergency Services declared a local emergency which will be ratified by the Board of Supervisors on November 5, 2019.
At the request of Supervisors McCowen and Williams, County staff has prepared an Ordinance that prohibits price gouging following the October 2019, Public Safety Power Shutoff Event and increases the penalties for violating the ordinance. The purpose of this Ordinance is to impose a more severe penalty than that provided in Penal Code section 396 to ensure that victims of the October 23-29 2019, wind events which lead to the PG&E Public Safety Power Shut Offs are not further victimized by unscrupulous landlords and others wishing to take financial advantage of this disaster.
An ordinance for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, which contains a declaration of the facts constituting the urgency, and is passed by a four-fifths vote of the board of supervisors, shall take ef...
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