A Municipal Court judge or hearing officer shall hear and dispose of civil violations, and make such orders as may be necessary and proper to dispose of such cases. Cases shall be heard without a jury.
The Municipal Court may not grant variances nor modify the provisions of this Ordinance, the Town Code, or the Unified Development Ordinance.
The Municipal Court may continue the date set for the hearing and may continue any hearing, for cause.
If the Defendant appears before the Municipal Court and admits the allegations, the Municipal Court shall issue a decision, finding against the Defendant, may impose a civil penalty and may issue an abatement order.
If the Defendant appears and denies the allegation, the Municipal Court shall set the matter for hearing as soon as possible as the interests of justice will allow, but not more than thirty (30) days.
The Arizona Rules of Procedure in Civil Traffic Violation Cases shall be followed by the Municipal Court for civil citations issued pursuant to this Ordinance except where inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance or as modified or established for use by the Chino Valley Municipal Court or the Arizona Supreme Court.
The Zoning Administrator/Designee who issued the citation may appear in Municipal Court and be the Town’s representative. No person may be examined except by the Court, an attorney for a party, or the Defendant.
(Ord. 06-678, passed 11-9-2006; Ord. 07-683, passed 1-11-2007; Ord. 07-694, passed 9-13-2007)