Trash Cleared and Spirits Lifted Together
CDD Shares Update on CalRecycle Grant, Illegal Dumping Cleanup
On August 5, 2025, Community Development Department (CDD) Deputy Administrator Shannon Walker-Smith, Staff Services Analyst Damien Marks, and Code Enforcement Manager Marcus Beltramo presented a progress report on the two-year $250,000 CalRecycle grant and outlined next steps.
CDD Director Mireya Turner praised her dedicated staff: “It’s amazing how they engaged volunteers and reached out to property owners flagged for code violations, helping residents come into compliance with government support. This fosters cooperation and positive change aligned with the Lake County 2050 General Plan.”
Walker-Smith noted implementation of the CalRecycle grant began in July 2024, focusing on five key elements:
Countywide property abatements
Illegal dumping prevention
Public awareness
Community education
Free Dump Days
The grant targeted 50 properties. At the halfway point, 12 abatements were completed, with 18 more pending—some through self-abatement. Community Oriented Policing and Targeted Relief (COPTR) program officers in Nice, Lucerne and Clearlake Oaks were instrumental in encouraging voluntary cleanup. “Outreach and assistance have been key to these efforts,” Walker-Smith said.
Community Development Department staff and volunteers helped elderly property owners and those with disabilities load and haul trash to the dump. Free Dump Days were not advertised far in advance to discourage stockpiling trash. Word-of-mouth and grassroots outreach were instrumental. Six Free Dump Days took place, with three participating locations:
The Nice Fire Department
Lucerne Castle
Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge
AmeriCorps California Emergency Response Corps (CERC) volunteers distributed flyers, and CDD promoted the events on Facebook close to the date. “Anyone in Lake County could join, even if it wasn’t in your town,” Walker-Smith said. “It was about cleaning up the whole county.”
The report highlighted key achievements:
1,000 tires and 500 mattresses collected.
60 total self-abated properties (28 identified by COPTR officers, 32 identified through the grant).
500+ flyers distributed.
1,377,460 pounds of trash removed, surpassing expectations.
Damien Marks highlighted the savings:
10 hours of code enforcement time saved per case.
5 hours of court time saved.
$22,000 in staff costs saved per abatement.
Total savings to taxpayers per self-abatement is $766.95.
With abatements costing $1,000–$2,000 each, the County saved an estimated $122,000 in staff and cleanup costs thanks to Free Dump Days.
Walker-Smith shared that 18 additional properties are scheduled for abatement/self-abatement: “Once self-abated sites are completed, we can add new ones,” she said. Year two may include expansion to South Lake County for more Free Dump Days, availability to add more properties to the grant, and continued public education and outreach on the negative effects of illegal dumping and available services.
CDD staff are committed to a cleaner, more vibrant Lake County: “This has been a true team effort,” Walker-Smith emphasized. “Damien Marks organized the events, Marcus Beltramo attended every Dump Day, Joey Valdez led the abatements and every code enforcement officer participated.”
CDD thanks Public Services, C&S Waste Solutions and Pascal Hue de Laroque’s 360 Junk Removal & Hauling crew for their support. Board Chair and District 3 Supervisor Eddie Crandell said, “Pascal and his crew helped people safely dispose of waste, rain or shine.”
CDD staff also thanks the following:
Every Code Enforcement Officer
Eastern Region Town Hall (ERTH)
Western Region Town Hall (WRTH)
Americorps Volunteers
Solano Women in Medicine (SWIM)
Lake County Crushers Football Team
Supervisor Crandell
Nice Fire Station
Lucerne Castle
Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge
Vance Ricks
Every volunteer and neighbor
Chair Crandell was effusive in his appreciation of CDD staff’s efforts: “Everything CDD has done with this CalRecycle Grant, you follow through on it. A lot of the time, citizens don’t get to see this, so this is a really tangible project. Folks in Lucerne Hills told me they haven’t seen any new dumping, so thank you for the work you do. Thank you for listening to the public, and helping them.”
District 2 Supervisor, Bruno Sabatier, remarked, “Abatements can cost $1,000 to $10,000 each. You’re looking at up to $622,000 saved. This is a huge benefit. Prevention dollars, enforcement and cleanup together make a winning combination.”
To learn more about Code Enforcement efforts in Lake County, click here.
To watch CDD’s full CalRecycle Grant update, click here.
The Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement staff will continue abatements, expand public education and install gates and cameras in high-impact areas. Thanks to the tireless work of staff, volunteers and partners, Lake County is becoming cleaner, safer and more connected.