(A) Complaints of violations of this chapter are generally received from the public, city staff, or observed by city Citation Officers. When a complaint is received, a Citation Officer is assigned the complaint. The Citation Officer shall document the complaint and determine if it is valid or unfounded. If found to be valid, the resident is notified of the violation through a warning or citation. A hearing disputing the warning/citation may be requested at this time. If a hearing is not requested, the Citation Officer will reinspect the violation in seven days. If the violation has been corrected and the property owner was given a warning, the case is closed and no further action is required. If the property owner was provided a citation, it becomes final and the property owner must pay their fine. All fines will be paid through the City Clerk’s Office and the City Clerk shall manage the collection of delinquent fines. Once delinquent fines/liens have exceeded $3,000 in total, the Clerk’s Office will notify the City Administrator, who will conduct a financial analysis to determine if foreclosure proceedings should be pursued.
(B) The city shall possess a lien on property owned by the person found by a non-appealablc final order as defined by KRS § 65.8805(8), or by a final judgment of the court, to have committed a violation of a city ordinance. The lien shall be for all civil fines assessed for the violation and for all charges and fees incurred by the city in connection with the enforcement of the ordinance, including abatement costs.
(C) The lien shall be recorded in the Office of the County Clerk. The lien shall be noticed to all persons from the time of its recording and shall bear interest until paid. The lien shall continue for ten years following the date of the non-appealable final order or final court judgment.
(D) Subject to § 44.13, the lien shall take precedence over all other liens, except state, county, school board, and city taxes, and may be enforced by judicial proceedings, including a foreclosure action.
(E) In addition to the remedy prescribed in division (A) above, the person found to have committed the violation shall be personally responsible for the amount of all civil fines assessed for the violation and for all charges, fees and abatement costs incurred by the city in connection with the enforcement of the ordinance. The city may bring a civil action against the person and shall have the same remedies as provided for the recovery of a debt.
(Ord. 2560, passed 6-6-2023)