(A) The ultimate responsibility for maintaining buildings, structures and residences in the city shall be with the owner or owners of such buildings, structures and residences. The owner of any building, structure, fence, wall, residence or similar places within the city shall keep them in a clean and sightly condition free from defacement and graffiti. Upon notice either orally or in writing to such person by the Street Commissioner to clean the building, structure or residence, such person shall comply with the notice within a period of seven days after receiving the notice. If the owner fails to comply with the notice, the Commissioner shall proceed to clean same and shall make out an estimate of the cost thereof and demand the cost of the person whose duty it was to clean the building, structure or residence. On failure to pay by such person within 14 days of such notice, the Commissioner shall lay the estimate before the City Attorney, who shall bring action to recover the amount thereof by judgment in the name of the city.
(B) Graffiti is defined as any inscription, work, figure or design marked, scratched, etched, drawn or painted with spray paint, liquid paint, ink, chalk, dye or other similar substances on buildings, fences, structures and similar places without the express permission of the owner or operator of the property.
(C) Any property owner may grant, in writing, permission to any person or organization to undertake and perform the removal of such defacing material or graffiti.
(D) No person shall place on any other persons building, church, residence, outbuilding, display sign, wall, statue, memorial, public structure or similar place, with paint, oil, or any substance which creates any message, notation, mark, inscription or surface which tends to deface the surface of such building, church, residence, outbuilding, display sign, wall, statute, memorial or public structure or similar place.
(E) Penalty for persons who violate division (D) above shall be a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $500 per occurrence. Penalties for other violations hereof are shown in § 98.999.
(Ord. 15-2003, passed 8-11-03; Am. Ord. 26-2003, passed 10-13-03) Penalty, see § 98.999