All property owners, or persons occupying or in charge of any property, within the city shall be responsible for the removal, cutting, or disposal and elimination of weeds, grasses and rank vegetation or other uncontrolled plant growth (generally referred to as plant matter) on their property, which at the time of notice, is in excess of eight inches (8") in height. In addition, all property owners, or persons occupying or in charge of any property, within the city shall not allow clippings to remain on any city street, sidewalk or other public property.
Any person, including the city, who believes there is property located within the corporate limits of the city which has growing plant matter or clippings in violation of this section shall make a complaint with the city clerk.
Upon receiving notice of the probable existence of plant matter or clippings in violation of this section, the city shall inspect the property. If the property is found to be in violation of this section, the property owner or the person occupying the property shall be notified in writing of the violation.
The property owner may appeal by filing written notice of objections with the city council within forty eight (48) hours of the notice, excluding weekends and holidays.
In the event that the property owner shall fail to abate the violation within five (5) regular business days and has not filed notice within forty eight (48) hours to the city clerk of an intent to appeal, the city may employ the services of city employees or outside contractors and remove the plant matter to conform with this section by all lawful means. The property owner shall be responsible for reimbursing the city for the full cost of abatement by outside contractor or city employees at a rate established by city council resolution.
The city is not required to provide additional notices if the property owner fails to abate the violation or otherwise appear on the matter for any subsequent violations during the year.
All sums payable by the property owner may be collected as a special assessment as provided by Minnesota statutes section 429.101, as it may be amended from time to time. (Ord. 4-6-2, 8-5-2014)