GRAFFITI REMOVAL

To report graffiti to the city, please submit a Report an Issue by clicking here. Photos are appreciated.  

The Maintenance Division in the Public Works Department is committed to ensuring an optimal quality of life by providing a safe, attractive and healthy community in which to live, work and play. Thus, the Division relies on a collaborative partnership with its citizenry and businesses to maintain the City's image by promptly removing graffiti. Prompt graffiti removal maintains the health, safety and welfare of the community.

City Policy

The Lake Forest City Council adopted Ordinance No. 225 amending the Lake Forest Municipal Code 6.14, Article II regarding graffiti and amending Article I regarding nuisances on February 15, 2011. This Chapter provides the City's policy of covering graffiti and determines if the placement of graffiti on public or private property is a public nuisance.  When graffiti has been determined to be removed by our contractor, the City attempts to have the graffiti removed within 24 hours of notification during working hours.  

Thus, the City has established a zero tolerance policy for graffiti vandalism. The City recognizes that its hard working residents do not deserve, or want to see, graffiti in their community. Therefore, Lake Forest Municipal Code Section 6.14.102 prohibits the placement of graffiti on both public and private property and declares any placement a public nuisance. Per California Government Code Section 38772, holding each person, including parents or guardians having custody of a minor, who places graffiti to be held accountable and liable for all costs in connection with the graffiti's removal, the City actively pursues restitution on behalf of its taxpayers for all graffiti vandalism within its jurisdiction.

City Property

The City only removes graffiti from the public right-of-way:

  • Curbs
  • Outside perimeter walls facing an arterial
  • Public walls
  • Sidewalks
  • Streets
  • Traffic Light Poles

Per City policy, graffiti is promptly removed. The City asks its residents not to paint over any graffiti areas, thus allowing our professional vendor company to match the existing colors.

County Property

Graffiti located on Orange County (OC) property or trails is removed by the appropriate County agencies: OC Parks, OC Public Works, and OC Flood Control.

  • Flood control basins
  • Flood control channels
  • Trails
  • Trail tread

These county agencies have routine weekly and biweekly routines to inspect and remove graffiti throughout Lake Forest. 

Submit a service request for OC Flood Control and OC Public Works through their website myoceservices.oc.gov.com. Contact OC Parks via email at OCParks@ocparks.com

Private Property

Graffiti located on private property or streets is removed by the homeowner's association, property homeowner, or utility company:

  • Automobiles
  • Driveways
  • Garages
  • Houses
  • Irrigation pedestals
  • Private streets
  • Property walls
  • Street light poles
  • Utility boxes

The homeowner is responsible for contacting his or her homeowner’s association for graffiti removal. The City’s Code Enforcement Division is available as a resource for assistance with the commencement of a nuisance abatement action.

For assistance with graffiti removal from private property, residents, homeowner’s associations, and utilities are eligible to use the City’s graffiti abatement contractor Superior Graffiti Solutions, at their own expense.

For assistance with victim restitution, please see the resources available through the Orange County Probation Department’s Victim Services.

How to Report Graffiti?

If you see someone spraying graffiti, call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at (949) 770-6011 and provide as much detailed information as possible about the suspects and location.

The City has resources available for residents to report graffiti on public property. Residents can submit a request via Report an Issue or call the Graffiti Hotline at (949) 461-3583   When possible, please submit a photo of the graffiti incident through Report an Issue as this assists us with identification and location to verify that the graffiti is on public property versus private (utility, County of Orange, HOA, etc.) and having the graffiti removed promptly.

More than half of the City’s graffiti abatement requests are on private property. To report graffiti directly to the responsible outside agency, please reference the Utility Resource Guide (PDF) , see below:

Outside Agency Graffiti Hotlines

Outside Agency Phone Number/Email
AT&T California (866) 243-6122
Email AT&T
Caltrans (949) 936-3500
Report Graffiti
County of Orange -Public Works/Flood Control (714) 955-0200
Report Graffiti
County of Orange -OC Parks (714) 973-6865
Cox Communications (888) 566-7751
El Toro Water District (949) 837-0660
Irvine Ranch Water District (949) 453-5535
Municipal Water District of Southern California (213) 217-6000
Orange County TransportationAgency (Public Right-of-Way) (714) 560-6282
Southern California Edison (866) 421-4688
Trabuco Canyon Water District (949) 858-0277
United States Postal Service (949) 837-1976

Graffiti Hotline

Phone: (949) 461-3583
Report an Issue

Graffiti Wipes Program

Tips for Reporting Graffiti

  • Provide the location - street, intersection and address
  • Provide the type of surface - wall, fence, light pole, street sign, etc.
  • Describe the graffiti nature
  • Provide photos, if possible
  • Provide name & phone number

Resources

Volunteer Orientation Video

 

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2022 Business Survey

Social Media Accounts:

Please select all social media outlets that your business currently utilizes.

If you selected "other", please submit your response here.
If you selected "other", please submit your response here.
Has your business/organization been negatively impacted by COVID-19?
If you selected "other", please submit your response here.
If you could receive an assistance grant, how much would your business/organization need to properly recover?
If you selected "more", please submit your response here.
If you are a restaurant, have you used outdoor dining during the Pandemic and would you like to continue or enhance outdoor dini
If you selected "other", please submit your response here.
If you responded "yes" or "other", how long would you like to continue to have the ability to conduct outdoor operations?
If you selected "other", please submit your response here.
What type of assistance would be helpful for your business/organization now and in the future? (Select all that apply)
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2025 Community Services Commission

Notice

The City of Lake Forest is accepting applications to serve on the Community Services Commission. Two seats are available on the Community Services Commission. Applications must be submitted online using this form and must be received by 6 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2025.

The Community Services Commission advises the City Council on matters pertaining to the acquisition, development, and maintenance of public parks and recreational facilities. The Commission also advises the City Council on matters relating to recreational programs and provides advice to the Community Services Department.

This Commission meets the Wednesday after the first City Council meeting of each month, at 6:30 p.m. Commission members pledge upon appointment to represent the overall public good and not that of an exclusive group or interest and will sign an Ethics Policy upon appointment to the Commission. The City assigns a staff liaison to work with the Commission and facilitate communication between the Commission and the City Council.

In addition to attending the regular monthly Commission meetings, Commissioners are expected to periodically attend and participate in City programs and activities. Commissioners receive a salary of $59 per meeting, not to exceed $118 per month.

One file only.
2 GB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Please limit your responses to 100 words each for Questions 7-10.

Tell us about your relationships to Current Council Members or Employees. Please limit your responses to 50 words each for Questions 11-13.

Tell us about your understanding of government: Please limit your comments to 100 words each for Questions 14 & 15.

Tell us about your vision for the City: Please limit your comments to 200 words each for Questions 16-18.

Attachments

The following attachments are part of the reference materials for the application:

Applicant Verification

I attest to the following: 1. I am a legal resident of the City of Lake Forest. 2. I am registered to vote in the City of Lake Forest. 3. I am able to attend Community Services Commission meetings that are regularly scheduled on the Wednesday following the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. 4. I have submitted a Statement of Economic Interest, in accordance with the Political Reform Act. 5. I understand this application is a Public Record and may be made available to members of the public upon request, with personal contact information redacted. The information provided in this application is true and accurate.

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2025 Planning Commission Application

Notice

The City of Lake Forest is accepting applications to serve on the Planning Commission. Two seats are available on the Planning Commission. Applications must be submitted online using this form and must be received by 6 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2025.

The City's Planning Commission is a decision-making body tasked with reviewing matters related to planning and development in the City. The Planning Commission consists of five members which are appointed by the City- Council with Commissioners serving four-year terms. Typical projects reviewed by the Planning Commission include applications for new development, proposed changes in zoning or the text of the Municipal Code, as well as review proposed subdivisions of land. The Planning Commission is also responsible for making recommendations to the City Council as to whether a project or action would be consistent with the General Plan.

The Commission meets on the same week in which the City Council holds their first meeting of the month on Thursdays and meetings commence at 6:30 p.m. In addition to attending the regular monthly Commission meetings, Commissioners are expected to periodically attend and participate in City programs and activities.

Commissioners receive a salary of $118 per meeting, not to exceed $236 per month.

One file only.
2 GB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Please limit your responses to 100 words each for Questions 7-10.

Tell us about your relationships to Current Council Members or Employees. Please limit your responses to 50 words each for Questions 11-13.

Tell us about your understanding of government: Please limit your comments to 100 words each for Questions 14 & 15.

Tell us about your vision for the City: Please limit your comments to 200 words each for Questions 16-18.

Attachments

The following attachments are part of the reference materials for the application:

Applicant Verification

I attest to the following: 1. I am a legal resident of the City of Lake Forest. 2. I am registered to vote in the City of Lake Forest. 3. I am able to attend Planning Commission meetings that are regularly scheduled on the same week in which the City Council holds their first meeting of the month on Thursdays and meetings commence at 6:30 p.m. 4. I have submitted a Statement of Economic Interest, in accordance with the Political Reform Act. 5. I understand this application is a Public Record and may be made available to members of the public upon request, with personal contact information redacted. The information provided in this application is true and accurate.

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2025 Traffic and Parking Commission

Notice

The City of Lake Forest is accepting applications to serve on the Traffic and Parking Commission. Three seats are available. Applications must be submitted online using this form and must be received by 6 p.m. on Monday, January  2025. 

The Traffic and Parking Commission advises the City Council on issues relating to parking and the safe and efficient movement of traffic, including vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and other modes of transportation upon the circulation network of the City. The Commission will provide recommendations related to traffic and parking including, but not limited to traffic and parking related field studies, requests for traffic control devices, requests for permit parking and street sweeping parking restrictions, and other related matters.

This Commission meets the Monday prior to the first City Council meeting of each month, at 6:30 p.m. Commission members pledge upon appointment to represent the overall public good and not that of an exclusive group or interest and will sign an Ethics Policy upon appointment to the Commission. The City assigns a staff liaison to work with the Commission and facilitate communication between the Commission and the City Council. In addition to attending the regular monthly Commission meetings, Commissioners are expected to periodically attend and participate in City programs and activities.

Commissioners receive a salary of $118 per meeting, not to exceed $236 per month.

One file only.
2 GB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Please limit your responses to 100 words each for Questions 7-10.

Tell us about your relationships to Current Council Members or Employees. Please limit your responses to 50 words each for Questions 11-13.

Tell us about your understanding of government: Please limit your comments to 100 words each for Questions 14 & 15.

Tell us about your vision for the City: Please limit your comments to 200 words each for Questions 16-18.

Attachments

The following attachments are part of the reference materials for the application:

Applicant Verification

I attest to the following: 1. I am a legal resident of the City of Lake Forest. 2. I am registered to vote in the City of Lake Forest. 3. I am able to attend Traffic and Parking Commission meetings that are regularly scheduled the Monday prior to the first City Council meeting each month ar 6:30 p.m. 4. I have submitted a Statement of Economic Interest, in accordance with the Political Reform Act. 5. I understand this application is a Public Record and may be made available to members of the public upon request, with personal contact information redacted. The information provided in this application is true and accurate.

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This form is for businesses that are physically located at a Lake Forest address.

 

Please enter Mailing Address information, if different from Business Address.
Home-Based Business?
If yes, you do not need to enter Property Manager Contact Information on the following page.

Commercial Business Additional Information

Applicable if you are a commercial or a home-based business.

Reason(s) for locating Business in Lake Forest:

Property Manager Contact Information

Applicable if you are leasing or own commercial property.

PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE THIS SECTION IF YOU ARE A HOME-BASED BUSINESS.

Business Watch - Emergency Contact Information

Please complete the following emergency contact information if your business wishes to participate in the Orange County Sheriff's Department "Business Watch Program". You will be contacted and provided with additional information and receive a "Business Watch" decal.

PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE THIS SECTION IF YOU ARE A HOME-BASED BUSINESS.

More Information on Lake Forest Business Watch:

Business Watch | Lake Forest, CA

To learn more about the Lake Forest Business Watch Program, please visit the link above.

Please enter the name of an individual to call in case of an emergency. They must have keys to your business.
Please enter the name of an individual to call in case of an emergency. They must have keys to your business.
Do you have an alarm system?
Do you have surveillance cameras?

Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce Membership

Membership Application

Joining the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce offers numerous opportunities to network, gain valuable experience, expand your business, and more. If you are interested in joining or would like more information, select the link above.

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CCA

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City of Lake Forest SMS Sign Up

Please provide the following information to join the waiting list for the Lake Forest CERT program.
Previous Experience Please check all that apply
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Expand the Forest

Expand the Forest Beautification Program

Public Works Department | 100 Civic Center Dr. | Lake Forest, Ca 92630 | (949) 461 - 3493

Applicant Information

Note: Due to the health and wellbeing of the selected trees, plantings will occur only from October 1st though December 1st and March 1st through June 1st. Staff will contact you during this time frame. Dedication plaques are not allowed. 

Location

 

Disclaimer: If a planting date cannot be arranged, the tree(s) will be planted by the end of the planting period. 

 

Type of Tree

Dedication

The City Council Certificate: The dedication and sponsor(s) information will appear on the City Council signed certificate mailed to you after the tree planting has occurred.

(Example: In loving memory of John Doe, a great friend and co-worker) 

Payment

The cost of the Expand the Forest Program is $93.00/15 gallon tree. 

If Paying by Check, Mail to:

City of Lake Forest
Expand the Forest Program
100 Civic Center Dr.
Lake Forest, CA 92630

If Paying with Cash, Bring to:

City of Lake Forest
100 Civic Center Dr.
Lake Forest, CA 92630

If Paying by Credit Card

Credit card payments are accepted through eLakeForest.com with a 3.29% service fee. Register for a new account through eLakeForest.com.

 

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Lake Forest eNewsletters

Thanks for your interest in joining our mailing list. Please choose from any of the following areas of interest, and you'll be automatically signed up to receive electronic newsletters.

Email Lists

By submitting this form, you are granting: City of Lake Forest, 25550 Commercentre Drive, Lake Forest, California, 92630, United States, http://lakeforestca.gov permission to email you. You may unsubscribe via the link found at the bottom of every email. (See our Email Privacy Policy for details.) Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

Vet / Clinic:
20780 Lake Forest Dr., Lake Forest, CA 92630, (949) 600-8310
23162 El Toro Frontage Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 837-5222
29040 Portola Parkway, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 380-1255
24301 Muirlands Blvd Ste P, Lake Forest, CA 92630, (949) 837-7660
22377 El Toro Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630, (949) 855-9744
3 Rancho Circle, Lake Forest, CA 92630, (949) 581-7979
26741 Rancho Pkwy Suite 105-D, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 354-5201 BlissAnimalHospital.com

Owner Information

City: Lake Forest

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Do you have an active Neighborhood Watch now?
If so, would you like representatives from the OC Sheriff’s Department and City to attend a meeting?
Do you believe your association would be interested in the Safe Lake Forest program?
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