ARTICLE I.
IN GENERAL.

SEC. 13-1. GENERAL PENALTY; CONTINUING VIOLATIONS.

   (a)   Whenever a person does an act that is forbidden, fails to perform an act that is required, or commits an act that is made an offense by any provision of this code or of any ordinance, rule, or regulation of the city and no specific penalty is provided for a violation of the provision, the violation is punishable by a fine:

      (1)   not to exceed $500;

      (2)   not to exceed $2,000 if the provision violated governs fire safety, zoning, or public health and sanitation, including dumping of refuse; or

      (3)   fixed by state law if the violation is one for which the state has fixed a fine.

   (b)   A person violating a provision of this code or other ordinance, rule, or regulation of the city is guilty of a separate offense for each day or part of a day during which the violation is committed, continued, or permitted, unless otherwise provided.

   (c)   Where the city council has by ordinance established a minimum fine for an offense under this code or any other ordinance, rule, or regulation of the city, a judge of the municipal court may never impose a lower fine for the offense. (Ord. Nos. 18001; 19963; 21973)

SEC. 13-1.1. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS TO APPEAR IN MUNICIPAL COURT.

   A director of any city department, or his authorized representative, shall have the power to issue one or more citations to any person to appear in the municipal court, if the director or representative has probable cause to believe that the person is criminally responsible for any offense within the jurisdiction of the municipal court. (Ord. 17226)

SEC. 13-1.2. COMPLIANCE NOT A DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION.

   Unless specifically provided otherwise in this code, it is not a defense to prosecution under any provision of this code that the violation with which a person is charged no longer exists, and no judge of the municipal court may dismiss a complaint or enter a finding of not guilty on the grounds that the violation no longer exists. (Ord. 21973)

SEC. 13-2. LIABILITY OF CORPORATE OFFICERS FOR PENALTY.

   Whenever a corporation or association violates any provision of this code or other ordinance of the city, the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, manager or any agent or employee of such corporation or association shall be severally liable for the penalty prescribed for such violation.