(A) All complaints are kept completely confidential. When a complaint comes into the office, the following steps will be followed:
(1) Document the complaint; what it is, where it is, where it is located, whose property it is located upon, and the date;
(2) Request photographs be taken of the nuisance identified in the complaint;
(3) Document that pictures were taken (including the date and person who took the pictures);
(4) Review, print, date, and save the pictures:
(a) If no violations are identified, document the findings on the complaint form and file it away; or
(b) If a violation is identified, document the findings and identify the specific ordinance(s) that the property is in violation of. Attach a copy of the pictures to the complaint form.
(5) Send a copy of the complaint form and pictures to the Nuisance Committee for its review and recommendation. Once it advises that the complaint needs to be addressed, proceed to the next step;
(6) Send a courtesy notice to the property owner requesting the violation be removed by a certain day. The length of time allowed to correct the nuisance depends on what the Nuisance Committee suggests. The notice must inform the property owner of his, her, or their right to appeal the Nuisance Committee’s findings;
(7) Following the deadline established in the courtesy notice, request new photographs of the property in violation. Then, follow division (A)(3) above again;
(8) Review, print, date, and save the pictures:
(a) If the violation(s) has been corrected, document the findings on the complaint form, send a thank you letter, and file it away; or
(b) If the violation(s) still exists and/or there are no identifiable improvements being made to correct the nuisance, document the findings and note that the violations still exist. Attach a copy of the pictures to the complaint form and follow division (A)(5) above again.
(9) Send a notice of violation via certified mail with return receipt to the property owner, requesting the violation be removed by a certain day. The length of time allowed to correct the nuisance depends on what the Nuisance Committee suggests;
(10) Following the deadline established in the notice of violation, request new photographs of the property in violation. Then, follow division (A)(3) above again;
(11) Review, print, date, and save the pictures:
(a) If the violation(s) has been corrected, document the findings on the complaint form, send a thank you letter, and file it away; or
(b) If the violations still exist and/or there are no identifiable improvements being made to correct the nuisance, document your findings, and note that the violations still exist. Attach a copy of the pictures to the complaint form and follow division (A)(5) above again.
(12) Send a notice of abatement via certified mail with return receipt to the property owner requesting the violation be removed by a certain day. The length of time allowed to correct the nuisance depends on what the Nuisance Committee suggests;
(13) After sending the notice of abatement, determine what will be needed in order to abate the nuisance (i.e., equipment, personnel, towing company, and the like). Contact those individuals that will need to be present so that everything is in order when the deadline arrives;
(14) Following the deadline established in the notice of abatement, request new photographs of the property in violation. Then, follow division (A)(3) above again;
(15) Review, print, date, and save the pictures:
(a) If the violation(s) has been corrected, document your findings on the complaint form, send a thank you letter, and file it away; or
(b) If the violation(s) still exist and/or there are no identifiable improvements being made to correct the nuisance, document the findings and note that the violations still exist. Attach a copy of the pictures to the complaint form. Proceed to next step.
(16) Contact the City Attorney and the Nuisance Committee to confirm and schedule the abatement. Contact those individuals and/or equipment to advise them of the date, time, and place of the abatement;
(17) Abate the nuisance and document everything that was removed or corrected to ensure compliance with code enforcement ordinances. Make sure to have a law enforcement officer on site to ensure safety of all those involved in the abatement process. Keep record of all expenses, as they will be billed to the property owner or assessed against the taxes;
(18) Contact the property owner(s) following the abatement:
(a) For nuisance abatements not involving the removal of an abandoned/junk vehicle, compile the costs and send the property owner a bill for the expenses incurred in the abatement; or
(b) For nuisance abatements including the removal of an abandoned/junk vehicle, send a notice of removal via certified mail with return receipt to the title and lien holder of the vehicle. This is to advise him or her of his or her right to reclaim the vehicle, upon payment in full of all costs of the removal.
(19) Other costs associated by hiring an individual to assist with the abatement process will be paid by the city and billed back to the property owner.
(B) In the event that the property owner fails to collect his or her certified mail, the County Sheriff or City Police Department may serve the papers. This service shall be documented and signed by whoever delivers the papers.
(C) Include the City Attorney and Nuisance Committee members on all correspondence to property owners.
(Ord. 17-1-1, passed - -)