(A) Noxious weed elimination. Any noxious weeds shall be cut down, eradicated or otherwise destroyed as often as may be necessary to prevent the ripening or scattering of seeds or other propagating parts of the weeds or grass. In no event shall the weeds be allowed to grow to a height greater than six inches.
(B) Trimming and corner clearance of trees and shrubs. Any tree or hedge which interferes with the safety and convenience of public travel or interferes with the construction, reconstruction or maintenance of any street or right-of-way, or causes any obstructions, shall be trimmed, cut down or otherwise destroyed as often as may be necessary.
(C) Notification. In the event the owner of any property fails to properly trim or remove a tree or hedge in violation of division (B) above or permits noxious weeds to grow in violation of division (A) above, the city’s Clerk-Treasurer shall serve notice upon the owner of the property if the owner resides in the city and can be found, or upon the occupant in the event the owner does not reside in the city or cannot be found, by certified mail. The notice shall order the occupant or owner to comply with divisions (A) or (B) above within 14 days after receipt of the notice. The notice shall state that in the event the owner or occupant does not comply with the order, the city, at the expense of the owner, will perform the necessary work. If the owner does not pay for the expense, the cost of the work shall be assessed against the property benefitted. Further, in the event the property is not on a public roadway, the notice shall inform all abutting owners of their right to a hearing prior to the cutting and removal of timber and wood, in accordance with M.S. § 160.22, subd. 10, as it may be amended from time to time. If no owner or occupant of the property can be found, the notice shall be posted on the property for a period of 14 days, after which period the city may perform any necessary work.
(D) Performance of work by city; invoice. If the owner or occupant of any property fails, within 14 days after receipt or posting to comply with the order set forth in any notice given pursuant to the provision of division (C) above, the city shall perform the work as is ordered by the notice. The city shall maintain a record showing the cost of the work attributable to each separate lot and parcel. The city shall prepare and mail to the owner an invoice setting forth the charge for the work, which charge shall be immediately due and payable at the office of the city’s Clerk-Treasurer.
(E) Assessment. On or before September 1 of each year, the city’s Clerk-Treasurer shall list the total unpaid charges for each type of the work against each separate lot or parcel to which the charges are attributable pursuant to this section. The Council may then assess the charges against the property benefitted as a special assessment, pursuant to the provisions of M.S. Ch. 429, as it may be amended from time to time, for certification to the county’s Auditor and collection together with current taxes for the following year.
(2001 Code, § 9.03) Penalty, see § 10.99