New Search
in minutes, that is necessary for the successful performance of a typical <br />example of that particular activity. Many of the activities listed, such as <br />the Property Posting Process and the Processing of a Billing Invoice, are <br />actually a combination of various minor processes. It is the total of the <br />average performance times of these minor processes that will be used as the <br />activity time in this matrix. (Please see Table I) <br />It will be noted in this time matrix that the initial field investigation time <br />for developed property complaints is 35 minutes, the time for an undeveloped <br />property investigation is 67 minutes, and the time for a City owned property <br />investigation is 25 minutes. These discrepancies are due to the differing <br />nature of the investigation processes for these 3 management categories. <br />When initially investigating City owned property, it is a fairly straight <br />forward process to drive to the known location, inspect it, and write up a <br />brief summary of the maintenance work necessary. On the average this takes 25 <br />minutes of program time. However, investigations of developed property are <br />almost always generated by a citizen complaint and on the average require and <br />additional 10 minutes of investigation time. This time is usually spent in <br />gaining access to the property and dealing with either the citizen registering <br />the complaint, or the owner of the property, often both. <br />The large discrepancy between these 2 initial investigation process times and <br />the figure listed for undeveloped property is due to the large amount of <br />additional investigation time spent "hunting" for any undeveloped property in <br />violation of the City's obnoxious vegetation ordinance. Since the main intent <br />of the City's obnoxious vegetation ordinance is the elimination of fire hazard <br />posed by tall grass and weeds, it is imperative that all undeveloped property <br />within the City limits be inspected for compliance during the summer growing <br />season. The systematic "sweep" of the entire City required to accomplish this <br />complete investigation involves much more time on a per abatement basis than <br />what is required to drive to a specific known location. <br />It will also be noted that the time for processing a billing invoice on either <br />developed or undeveloped property is 22 minutes, whereas it is only 10 minutes <br />for City agencies other than Maintenance Division and nothing at all for <br />Maintenance Division property. This time differential is accounted for by the <br />extra time necessary to prepare and deliver private ownership billing invoices <br />for certified mail, as is required by code. City agencies other than Main- <br />tenance Division simply have their billing invoices delivered to the City's <br />finance office by internal courier. Abatements performed on property under <br />the financial jurisdiction of the Maintenance Division do not require billing <br />at all since the vegetation program operates within the Maintenance Planning <br />Section of this City agency. <br />One further note regarding Table I concerns the difference between the 3 <br />separate operations functions listed under the undeveloped property management <br />category. Although not required by code, the City has implemented a practice <br />of sending supplemental "courtesy" violation notices to certain undeveloped <br />property owners encouraging them to mow their property rather than have it <br />abated by the City. This practice is employed only in those special cases <br />Vegetation Program <br />Cost Analysis 4 <br />