Any fine, other sanction, or costs imposed, or part of any fine, other sanction, or costs imposed, remaining unpaid after the exhaustion of or the failure to exhaust judicial review procedures under the Illinois Administrative Review Law are a debt due and owing the city and may be collected in accordance with applicable law. Additionally, after expiration of the period in which judicial review under the Illinois Administrative Review Law may be sought for a final determination of a Code violation, unless stayed by a court of competent jurisdiction, the findings, decision, and order of the Administrative Hearing Officer may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction. If the fine has not been paid within the 35-day period, the city may take any action permitted at law to collect the outstanding fine.
(A) Failure to comply; costs of enforcement. In any case in which a respondent has failed to comply with a judgment ordering that respondent to correct a code violation or imposing any fine or other sanction as a result of a code violation, any expenses incurred by the city to enforce the judgment entered against that respondent, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees, court costs, and costs related to property demolition or foreclosure, repair and/or enclosure of dangerous or unsafe buildings, or uncompleted and abandoned buildings, costs for the removal of garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials from buildings or other real property after they are fixed by a court of competent jurisdiction or an Administrative Hearing Officer shall be a debt due and owing the city and may be collected in accordance with applicable law. Prior to any expenses being fixed by the Administrative Hearing Officer pursuant to this section, the city shall provide a notice to the respondent that states the respondent shall appear at a hearing before the Administrative Hearing Officer to determine whether the respondent has failed to comply with the judgment. The notice shall set the date for such hearing, which shall not be less than seven days from the date that notice is served. If notice is served by mail, the seven-day period shall begin to run on the date the notice was deposited in the mail.
(B) Lien. Upon being recorded in the manner required by Article XII of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (ILCS Ch. 735, Act 5, §§ 12-101 et seq.), or by the Uniform Commercial Code (ILCS Ch. 810, Act 5, §§ 1-101 et seq.), a lien shall be imposed on the real estate or personal estate, or both, of the respondent in the amount of any debt due and owing the city under this code. The lien may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment lien pursuant to a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(C) Denial of services. If the respondent fails to pay any debt due and owing the city as described in this section within 14 days after service of the notice of debt, the city may take the following actions in addition to any debt collection authorized by law:
(1) Decline to issue, renew, or provide any license, permit, zoning variance, or permission applied for or requested by respondent under any code or ordinance of the city until the respondent pays such debt.
(Ord. 15-3507, passed 12-21-2015)