(A) If a property owner has caused or permitted the existence of a nuisance condition defined in § 90.02(B)(3) of this chapter, the city, at its sole discretion, may elect to provide notice of the condition via publication in lieu of providing notice under the remaining provisions of this section. Should the city so elect, the Code Official shall cause to be published each year in a newspaper of general circulation within the city a notice stating that maintaining property as required under this chapter shall be done, and that the property owner has 14 days from the date of publication for § 90.02(B)(3) nuisances to cause the work to be done. Further, the notice shall state that failure to comply after publication of the notice will result in the city causing the work to be done, and the costs incurred by the city shall be assessed against the property in the manner provided by law and this Code of Ordinances. No further notice shall be required, provided the Code Official may post notices or provide such additional notice as the Code Official deems appropriate under the circumstances.
(B) For all other nuisances defined in this chapter and not specifically addressed by division (A) above, the notice may be in the form of an ordinance or sent by certified mail to the property as per Iowa Code § 364.12(3)(h). If service is made by certified mail the reasonable time for abatement shall not be deemed to have started until such time as the certified mail is either collected by the property owner, tenant, or their agent or the certified mail is returned by the post office to the city after expiration of time for retrieval. The use of ordinance or certified mail does not prohibit the use of any other manner of service as allowed under the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure.
(Ord. 2414, passed 7-13-2010; Ord. 2565, passed 2-27-2018)