A. Procedure. If an owner shall fail to correct the violation within five days after receiving the first notice under Section 8.32.030, and no appeal letter from an owner is received, the Board of Public Works and Safety may proceed to direct the Department to correct the violation by causing any weeds and/or rank vegetation to be cut and removed from the real property of an owner. Thereafter, pursuant to the continuous abatement notice sent along with original notice, any subsequent violation during the same year the continuous abatement was served, shall be corrected by the Department upon direction by the Board of Public Works and Safety.
B. Recovery of cost of abatement. The clerk-treasurer shall make a certified statement of the cost incurred by the city to abate the violation, which shall include any administration, notice and removal costs. The statement shall be delivered to an owner of the real property in a manner consistent with service of notice under Section 8.32.030C. Payment for the costs shall be made to the clerk-treasurer within ten days of delivery of the statement. If an owner fails to pay costs or file a written notice of appeal within ten days after service of notice, a certified copy of the statement of costs shall be filed in the office of the Bartholomew County Auditor and recorded in the Bartholomew County Recorder’s office. The county auditor shall place the amount claimed on the tax duplicate against an owner or occupant of the property. The cost shall be a lien thereon and the amount shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as taxes due are collected and said cost amount shall be disbursed to the clerk-treasurer who shall deposit the funds in the account from which the funds were expended.
C. Appeal of costs. If an owner desires to appeal the statement of costs, an owner must notify both the City Department of Public Works and the City of Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety of the desire to appeal, by written letter, no later than close of business on the tenth day after service of notice of the statement of costs pursuant to Section 8.32.030C. Upon receipt of the written letter, the Board of Public Works and Safety will hear an owner’s appeal at the next scheduled Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. If an owner does not appear at the scheduled meeting, the appeal will be denied.
(Ord. 14, 2017 § 2, 2017; Ord. 17-2012 § 1, 2012)