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551.03 SERVICE OF ORDER.
   (a)     A property owner will receive notice by regular first-class mail or certified mail to the address used by the Stark County Auditor for real estate tax billing purposes; or if service cannot be completed by mail, then by posting the notice in a conspicuous place on the affected property for five (5) days.
   (b)    Property owners will receive only one notice under subsection (a). If the Director determines that a subsequent violation has occurred, regardless of whether the previous violation was in the current calendar year or in any previous year, the Director may proceed with the remedy set forth in Section 551.05 without further notice.
(Ord. 80-2017. Passed 4-10-17.)
551.04 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ORDER.
   Owners must not fail to comply with the order provided for by Section 551.02.
(Ord. 80-2017. Passed 4-10-17.)
551.05 PROCEDURE AFTER FAILURE TO COMPLY.
   (a)   If any property owner fails to comply with the order provided in Section 551.02, the Director shall cause the removal of the noxious weeds, grass exceeding eight (8) inches in height, or litter. The Director may do so through City employees, the Canton City Board of Health, or outside labor.
   (b)   The Director must record the expenses for removal, inspection, record research, notification, and administrative charges. The Director must send a statement of those expenses to the owner of the property at the address used by the Stark County Auditor for real estate tax billing purposes. Administrative charges will be set by the Director and may be adjusted annually.
   (c)   If not paid within thirty (30) days, Council, by ordinance, will certify the total amount of those expenses, the owner of the property, and a sufficient description of the premises, to the Stark County Auditor to be placed on the tax duplicate and to be a lien
on the property from the date of entry, and to be collected as other taxes and assessments and returned to the General Fund according to Ohio R.C. 731.54 or any other appropriate fund.
   (d)   Additionally, the Director may place any delinquent amounts due under this Chapter with a third party agent, including but not limited to, a law firm or collection agency. Any such delinquent account shall be assessed a collection fee, equal to the fee charged by the third party, as set forth in the third party's contract with the City. The resulting balance due on the account shall be the principal balance due, plus interest penalties, late fees and/or other permissible fines or charges, and the collection fee. The assessment of the collection fee shall be made by the third party at the time the account is placed by the City with said third party. Additionally, any court costs incurred in relation to all delinquent accounts shall also be added to the total balance due.
(Ord. 74-2019. Passed 4-29-19.)
551.06 APPEALS.
   Any person affected by an order under Section 551.02 or an assessment under Section 551.05(b) may file an appeal with the Board of Building Appeals no later than twenty (20) days after the date of the order or assessment. The appeal must include the appellant's name, address, phone number, and a brief statement of the grounds for the appeal. The Board of Building Appeals must set a time for a hearing when the appellant will be given an opportunity to be heard and show cause why the order or assessment should be modified or dismissed. The Board of Building Appeals may affirm, modify, or dismiss the order or assessment. If the appellant fails to appear, the Board of Building Appeals may dismiss the appeal.
(Ord. 48-2019. Passed 3-18-19.)
551.07 NONEXCLUSIVE REMEDY.
   The remedies provided in this Chapter are nonexclusive and do not preclude other remedies available in law or equity.
(Ord. 80-2017. Passed 4-10-17.)
551.99 PENALTY.
   (a)    Any person who violates this chapter is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Each day the violation continues is a separate offense provided the notice requirements in Section 551.02(a) have been satisfied for each violation.
   (b)    If the person has previously been convicted of or pled guilty to a violation of this Chapter, that person is guilty of a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
(Ord. 80-2017. Passed 4-10-17.)