Palos Verdes Estates, CA
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- Business license application payments will be collected by HdL. Businesses are encouraged to proceed with payment through HdL online, over the phone, or through the mail.
- For simplicity and accounting of business licence applications, we ask that business operators or their representative connect directly through HdL. Business license applications received by the City will be forwarded to HdL, which will delay the process of receiving confirmation and issuance of a business license.
- Business license processing is now being handled by HdL Software LLC. All applications, whether by mail, online, or over the phone will be handled by HdL. If a business owner or representative comes to City Hall seeking to apply for, pay for, or renew a business license the City will facilitate a connection to HdL.
The Palos Verdes Homes Association has jurisdiction over address changes. Once the Palos Verdes Homes Association gives approval, the owner must forward a copy of the approval to City Hall so the City can forward the change to all utilities.
The City's policy on creating and distributing proclamations and certificates of recognition can be viewed below:
Should your request meet the City's requirements in the policy above, please submit your request for proclamations and/or certificates of recognition by contacting Administrative Analyst Heidi Wiersma HWiersma@pvestates.org or 310.750.9805
Palos Verdes Estates Municipal Code Chapter Section 8.20.050 requires City Council approval to post signs in the places set forth in said Section. Posting locations are the median strip adjacent to Malaga Cove Plaza at Via Corta and the median strip across from the Lunada Bay Fountain area. The posting period for promotional signs is no more than one week. Promotional signs will be placed and removed by the City's Streets and Parks Department based on approved dates.
To submit banner requests or for more information, contact Administrative Analyst Heidi Wiersma HWiersma@pvestates.org or 310.750.9805
The City acquired Farnham Martin Park (adjacent to Malaga Cove Library) in July 1999 from the Palos Verdes Library District. One of the conditions of the acquisition agreement between the City and the District was that City controls over group usage of the green area be enacted due to complaints about noise and disruptive activities. Any assemblage of more than 10 people are required to secure a Group Gathering Permit. Thepermit applies to family portrait, wedding groups, commercial still photography, motion picture,picnics or other group activities.
To submit a completed application or for more information, please call 310.378.0383.
Special events that concern the City are those that may impact City streets and services, public safety, citizen welfare, or disrupt traffic and community activities. The City, therefore, imposes specific conditions upon the sponsors of such events. Private parties are not covered by the special event guidelines unless extenuating circumstances apply.
2016 Special Event Guidelines and Application
To submit a completed application or for more information, please call 310.378.0383.
Have questions about protesting? Read the Protest Q&A
- Athens Services provides two green 32 gallon containers (specifically labeled for greenwaste) that are collected once per week on your regularly scheduled collection day. You may recycle an unlimited amount of yard waste as long as the materials are in similar containers that are clearly marked “yard waste.” Acceptable greenwaste includes: grass, leaves, pruning, weeds, vegetation, twigs and small branches. Bundles, no longer than 36” and wider than 18”, or more than 30 pounds are also accepted. Please place bundles next to your greenwaste containers.
In regards to recyclable materials, residents place all materials other than greenwaste into one container, which is often called comingling. Athens will transport the comingled waste to their Material Recovery Facility, and remove the recyclable materials for reuse. This will increase the amount of materials that can be recycled and reused, and decrease what goes to a landfill. Residents can place the comingled waste in the existing “blue” containers from the previous contract or in their private containers for pickup.
Additional green containers may be requested at no charge by contacting Athens Services directly. For more information regarding the City’s recycling program, or to request additional containers, please contact Athens Services Customer Service Department at (888) 336-6100. - No. The Palos Verdes Estates Municipal Code prohibits the placement of refuse containers adjacent to the street or on City Parkland, even on collection day. The ordinance requires that the containers are to be kept in a concealed trash area on the property where the City’s approved refuse hauler retrieves them and returns them after emptying. Please contact the City Code Enforcement Officer at (310) 378-0383 ext. 2209, if you have any questions or concerns.
- Effective July 1, 2012, the City contracts with Athens Services for its refuse and recycling. Any problems or concerns may be reported to Customer Service at (888) 336-6100. We recommend getting the dispatcher’s name when you call in case future assistance is required. If that does not resolve the problem, please contact City Hall.
E-waste is a general category of electronic products including broken or obsolete televisions, computer monitors, central processing units (CPU), cordless and cell phones, cash registers, videocassette recorders, cell phones, copiers and printers, stereos and speakers, microwaves, x-ray machines, and some scientific equipment. These products may contain toxic materials such as lead, barium, mercury, and cadmium that require proper management as well as valuable resources that should be recovered.
Athens Services conducts four e-waste collection events per year. Additionally, e-waste can be taken to the Gaffey Street S.A.F.E. Collection Center, which is open to all Los Angeles County residents. For more information please visit the City's E-waste webpage.
- Before any firearm can be released, contact the property officer at (310)378-4211 so a record with the Department of Justice is generated. This is mandatory and ensures that you are eligible to own the firearm. This service takes approximately 48 hours.
Property that has no value or that is contraband is destroyed. Property that has value is sold at public auction. Citizens can view and/or bid on these items via internet at www.propertyroom.com. Most law enforcement agencies utilize this company.
If a crime victim locates their property on Propertyroom.com, they should contact the website to advise them of the stolen property , contact the detective handling their case, and show a report that lists the item(s) as being stolen. They can then have the item returned. The website also has a service for victims to register the serial numbers of items lost/stolen, and in the event they are turned over to Propertyroom.com, it will be returned.
- You will need to send a notarized letter or authorization to have someone pick up your property. The authorized letter must have the name of the person picking up the property. The person picking up your property must bring a current picture I.D. If you are incarcerated, the person picking up your property must have an authorization for release form from that facility. The form must include the owner's signature along with the person authorized to pick up the property.
- The detective handling your case or the court must release all evidence. You may contact the property Officer to find out whether the evidence is clear for release at (310)378-4211.
- You must bring proof of identification to the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department to have your items released by appointment only with the Property Officer.
- Any item turned into the Police Department as found property must be kept for 90 days to determine whether the owner can be located. If an item is not claimed, it can be released to the finder under certain circumstances.
- You may call the Police Department at (310)378-4211 and speak with the Property Officer. You will need to provide your name, case number, serial number or other descriptive information.
- You should complete a Residential House Information form and submit it to the Police Department at the front counter or fax it to (310)375-5076.
- Los Angeles County Vector Control at (800)825-3400. LA County Vector Control can also assist with problem yellow jackets and wasps.
- Contact an exterminator for animals like possums, raccoons, and squirrels. Contact Captain Tony Best at the Police Department at (310)378-4211 for coyote sightings in Palos Verdes Estates. You may also contact the Police Department for snake calls.
Various livescan locations are available at http://ag.ca.gov/fingerprints/publications/contact.htm.
- A person may call the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department at (310)378-4211 to report an abandoned vehicle. Please provide the location, color, and license plate of the vehicle. An officer will be dispatched to mark the vehicle and will return 72 hours later to check the status of the vehicle. If the vehicle has not been moved, the vehicle will be towed.
- You may contact the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department at (310)378-4211 with the vehicle license plate number or vehicle identification number, vin. The desk officer will access the record and advise you if your vehicle has been towed.
- Obtain and complete a Request for Post Storage Hearing and submit it to the Police Department. You will be notified of the results.The registered owner remains responsible for all towing fees.
Parking citations can be paid by cash, check, or credit card.
In-person
Cash, check, or credit card.
City Hall is located at 340 Palos Verdes Drive West
Mail
Only checks are accepted through mail.
Send checks to:
City of Palos Verdes Estates
340 Palos Verdes Drive West
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274Online
To pay online: visit https://www.dspayments.com/PalosVerdes.
- If a vehicle is impounded for 30 days, it cannot be released prior to the 30 day period. After the 30 day period has passed, the registered owner must go to the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department to obtain a release for the vehicle. If the registered owner does not have a valid California Driver's license, he/she must bring along a person who possesses one.
- If you have been cited for a time zone because your handicap placard was not property displayed, bring the placard with your citation to the Police Department to have the citation signed off for a reduced fee of $20.00 after verification.
- You must complete a Request for Administrative Review within 21 days of issuance. Upon submission, you will have a response mailed to you within 14 days. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your review, you should then complete and submit a Request for Administrative Hearing with the bail amount of the citation to the Police Department. You will be contacted with the date and time of your hearing.
- Yes, once the violation is corrected, park the involved vehicle in the yellow zone in front of the Police Department and present your citation at the front window. An officer will inspect your vehicle and verify the required correction(s) have been made and sign off on the citation. This service requires a fee of $5.00 per corrected violation. The amount of the citation will then be a reduced fee. Moving citations require you to show proof of correction at the specified court on the citation and also pay a reduced fee.
If you have any questions regarding your traffic citation, you need to contact the Los Angeles Superior Court, www.lasuperiorcourt.org. The Palos Verdes Estates Police Department is not authorized to supply information regarding the disposition or future outcome of any citation.
If you lost your traffic citation, you need to contact the courts for the information to resolve your ticket. You can obtain court information by logging onto www.lasuperiorcourt.org.
- A person who receives a traffic citation may contest it by going to the court he/she is cited to (listed on the citation) and posting bail (paying the amount of the citation). After the person has posted bail, the court clerk will assign a court date. On the specified date, the person will be able to plead his/her case before a judge and question the officer. If the judge rules in the person's favor, the bail they posted will be refunded. Additional information can be obtained by calling the Los Angeles Superior Court Traffic Information and Payment Center at (213)742-1884 or by logging onto www.lasuperiorcourt.org.
- Caltrans provides current road conditions. You may contact them by calling (800)427-7623. You may also get information on traffic, public transportation, and commuter services by dialing 511.
Copies of reports may be obtained at the Police Department for a fee of $2.50, check, money order, or exact cash. You will also be requested to complete an Application for Release of Information to obtain the copy.
You can only receive a copy of a crime report if you are an authorized person such as the victim, the victim's representative, or as provided in Section 6254 of the Government Code.
Traffic collision reports can be released to authorized persons such as the victim, the victim's representative, or as provided in Section 20012 of the California Vehicle Code.
Arrest reports may be obtained by the arrestee or by a parent or guardian if the subject is under the age of 18.
If you have been arrested in multiple jurisdictions, it is recommended that you request your criminal history records from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) instead of requesting arrest summaries from multiple localities. For recorded information, call (916)227-3822.
You may also request a criminal history record for the purposes of immigration, emigration, and visas from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI furnishes national criminal history records directly to the embassy or consulate that is processing applicants. For further information regarding FBI's criminal history records, call (304)625-2222.
Residents of Palos Verdes Estates should contact the Police Department at (310)378-4211 for a Clearance Letter Request and provide their name, drivers license number, phone number, and how long they have lived in the City. The fee for this service is $10.00 and is usually completed within 48 hours.
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) will provide a statewide criminal clearance if you are an immigration applicant and you have been directed to obtain California or local clearances by the United States consulate or embassy, or by a foreign government for emigration from the United States. Processing time is approximately three to four weeks. For recorded DOJ clearance letter information, call (916)227-3822.
You may also request a clearance letter for the purposes of immigration, emigration and visas from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI furnishes national clearances directly to the embassy or consulate that is processing the applicant. For further information regarding an FBI clearance letter, please call the FBI at (304)625-3878.
- The first activation for the calendar year is free but the second activation is billed $50.00. Any subsequent activations are billed $50.00 for the calendar year. If an accidental robbery alarm activation occurs, the resident is billed $100.00 for the first police response and all others for that calendar year.
- Contact your alarm company and have your password available and advise them of the activation so the police and/or fire department is not dispatched.
Contact Southern California Edison at (800)611-1911 to report the outage or to receive updated information on reported outages. Outage Information www.sce.com/outage
- 9-1-1 should only be dialed when there is a life threatening emergency occurring that requires the help of the police department and/or fire department.
- From a landline, your call is received at the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department and when calling from a cell phone, depending on your location and cell provider, your call may be received by the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department, Lomita Sheriff's Department, or even Redondo Beach Police Department. However, the call can be transferred to the appropriate agency once received.
- Contact the Police Department at (310)378-4211. If the incident is a life threatening emergency, dial 9-1-1.
- City Council agendas are posted at City Hall, 340 Palos Verdes Drive West, PV Golf Club Pro-Shop, 3301 Via Campesina, and Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, at least 72 hours preceding each meeting, unless a Special Meeting is called. Agendas and staff reports are also available online, or you may subscribe by joining E-News.
The City does not accept applications unless it is actively recruiting for a vacant position. Click here to access our Human Resources page for more information, current job listings, and application.
- The location of private sewer laterals and sewer connections to the City main sewer line varies depending on the address. Some are located in a backyard easement, some are in alleys or parkland, and some are out in the street in front of the home. The homeowner or plumbing contractor can come to City Hall during morning counter hours to request a sewer location. We will photocopy any information we have on the sewer lateral and sewer connection locations for the person requesting it.
- The City’s waste hauler will provide green 32-gallon green waste containers and blue 32-gallon recycling containers to residents whose containers need to be replaced. Residents are responsible for purchasing and replacing their own 32-gallon regular trash containers. Residents are allowed two of each kind of container.
- The City only repairs and replaces existing curb. Homeowners without existing curb can choose to submit a curb and gutter construction plan to the City and once it’s approved, can hire a licensed contractor to obtain a permit and construct the curb or curb and gutter.
- The City does have a program to upgrade existing curbs that are in disrepair under the condition that there is no non-standard hardscape in the right-of-way next to that curb. Non-standard hardscape next to curb would include parallel walkways or stepping stones, planters, or perpendicular walkways that flare into a T-shape at the curb. Residents can contact the Public Works Department to request curb repair. The Public Works Department will inspect the curb conditions and respond to the homeowner via mail whether any nonstandard items must be addressed, or provide a confirmation for the homeowner to sign. Curbs that can be replaced will be placed on a waiting list for construction until enough locations have been compiled to bid a project.
Residents can send their requests for new traffic signs or striping to the Traffic Safety Committee for possible review at their next available meeting. They meet on the second Wednesday of every month and letters must arrive the third Friday prior to the Wednesday meeting in order to place an item on the agenda.
The Traffic Safety Committee reviews all requests before making recommendations to the City Council for any installations. City Council will then review the Committee’s recommendations and decide whether to implement them.
- Effective July 2016, City Council meetings can be viewed via live webstream (and on demand thereafter) on the City website MEETINGS & AGENDAS banner or on "City Meetings" under the GOVERNMENT tab.
- The Traffic Safety Committee is an advisory body to City Council. Applications to Traffic Safety are presented to and heard by the Committee; their recommendations are subsequently forwarded to City Council for confirmation. If you disagree with a Traffic Safety Committee recommendation, you may write a letter to City Council to request further discussion before the suggested action is voted upon--usually at the next Regular Council Meeting on the calendar. If time is of the essence, you may wish to attend the City Council meeting when the item is to be considered and request in person, by filling out a speaker card, that the item be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion.
- The Parklands Committee is an advisory body to City Council. Applications to Parklands are presented to and heard by the Committee; their recommendations are subsequently forwarded to City Council for confirmation. If you disagree with a Parklands Committee recommendation, you may write a letter to City Council to request further discussion before the suggested action is voted upon--usually at the next Regular Council Meeting on the calendar. If time is of the essence, you may wish to attend the City Council meeting when the item is to be considered and request in person, by filling out a speaker card, that the item be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion.
- Registration-by-mail forms are available at City Hall, all post offices and libraries, or by calling the L.A. County Registrar of Voter's office at 800-815-2666, option 5; or register online at http://www.registertovote.ca.gov. These forms are also used if you wish to change/update your party affiliation. You must be registered within 15 days of any election to be eligible to vote. See our Elections page for additional information.
- Please contact your local post office or visit the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, at www.travel.state.gov/passport for additional information.
- Pensioners or other interested persons may request a Certificate of Residency by visiting the City Clerk's office at City Hall in person. Proof of current residency in Palos Verdes Estates and picture ID (driver's license, passport, or state-issued identification card) and/or current utility bill with person's name and current PVE address is required. Certification fee: $3.00
- A marriage license may be obtained from the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650. An application form is available online at www.lavote.net or you may call the County Registrar's Birth, Death, and Marriage Records section at 562-462-2716.
A film permit (and business license) is required, by ordinance, for "motion picture" filming on public, commercial, or private (residential) property. Exemptions are provided for current news and filming for personal family use. A film permit is also required for "commercial still photography" conducted on public, commercial, or private property. Exemptions for commercial still photography include photographs taken at the request of an individual, which photographs are of that person or their family; and will become their personal property and will not be used in any advertising medium. Rates for permits vary by type and location.
Film Permit Application and Information Packet
For more information, please call (310) 378-0383.
- Visit the City Clerk's office at City Hall, complete a Request for Public Records form and fax to 310-378-7820, or email your request to cityclerk@pvestates.org.
- Business License Application [Link]
A business license is required when operating any business in the City, whether for profit or not.
Business license are issued by the City's contractor, HdL Software LLC,and run on the calendar year (Jan - Dec).
See the license fee schedule for the amount due, some categories may be prorated and a gross
receipts option is available for some license categories at the first renewal.For additional information on business licensing, see Title 5 of the PVE Municipal Code
http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/palosverdesestates/- Regular City Council meetings are held at PVE City Hall in Council Chambers, located at 340 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, 90274; Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 p.m. To receive City Council agendas and minutes by email, Join E-News.