§ 37.10 PRESENTATION OF CASES.

   Each case before the Code Enforcement Board shall be presented by an attorney selected by the city, a Code Enforcement Officer for the city, or by a member of the city’s administrative staff. The city attorney may either be counsel to the Code Enforcement Board or may present cases before the Code Enforcement Board, but shall in no case serve in both capacities.

(Ord. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

§ 37.11 APPEALS; FINAL JUDGMENT.

   (A)   Appeal. An appeal from any final order of the Code Enforcement Board may be made to the County District Court within 30 days of the date the order is issued. The appeal shall be initiated by the filing of a complaint and a copy of the Board’s order in the same manner as any civil action under the State Rules of Civil Procedure. The appeal shall be tried de novo. A judgment of the district court may be appealed to the County Circuit Court in accordance with the State Rules of Civil Procedure.

   (B)   Final judgment. If no appeal from a final order of the Board is filed within the time period set in division (A) above, the Board’s order shall be deemed final for all purposes.

(Ord. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

§ 37.12 LIEN; FINES, CHARGES AND FEES.

   (A)   The city shall possess a lien on property owned by the person found by a non-appealable final order, 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 and attorney’s fees. An affidavit of the Code Enforcement Officer shall constitute prima facie evidence of the amount of the lien and regularity of the proceedings pursuant to KRS 65.8801 to 65.8839.

   (B)   The lien shall be recorded in the office of the County Clerk. The lien shall be notice 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.

   (C)   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.

   (D)   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, attorneys 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. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

§ 37.13 LIEN HOLDER NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.

   The city shall obtain and maintain priority over previously filed liens in accordance with the following provisions:

   (A)   Individuals and entities, including, but not limited to, lien holders, may register with the city to receive electronic notification of final orders;

   (B)   To receive the notification, the registrant shall submit the following information to the City Clerk:

      (1)   Name;

      (2)   Mailing address;

      (3)   Phone number; and

      (4)   Electronic mailing address.

   (C)   A registrant may use the form provided on the city website to submit the information required in division (B) above. It shall be the responsibility of the registrant to maintain and update the required contact information with the city. The city shall inform a registrant of any evidence received that the electronic mailing address is invalid or not functional so that the registrant may provide an updated electronic mailing address.

   (D)   Once per month, the city shall send electronic mail notification of all final orders since the last date of notification to each party registered pursuant to this section. The notification shall provide an electronic link to the city code enforcement database located on the city website. The database shall include the following information regarding each final order:

      (1)   The name of the person charged with a violation;

      (2)   The physical address of the premises where the violation occurred;

      (3)   The last known mailing address for the owner of the premises where the violation occurred;

      (4)   A specific description of the citation leading to the final order, including the citation detail set forth in KRS 65.8825(4)(a) to (4)(j), which maybe satisfied by including a copy of the full citation;

      (5)   The findings of the final order, including the penalty or penalties imposed by the final order, which maybe satisfied by providing a copy of the full final order; and

      (6)   The status of the final order in regards to its ability to be appealed.

   (E)   If an appeal is filed on a final order pursuant to this chapter, the city shall send electronic mail notification to all registrants.

   (F)   Within ten days of the issuance of a final order pursuant to this chapter, the city shall update its code enforcement database to reflect the issued final order, and shall post the notification required by division (D) above containing an updated link to the code enforcement database on the city website.

   (G)   The city shall maintain the records created under this section for ten years following their issuance.

(Ord. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

§ 37.14 LIENS.

   (A)   A lien holder of record who has registered pursuant to § 37.13 may, within 45 days from the date of issuance of notification under § 37.13 may:

      (1)   Correct the violation, if it has not already been abated; or

      (2)   Pay all civil fines assessed for the violation, and all charges and fees incurred by the city in connection with enforcement of the ordinance, including attorney’s fees and abatement costs.

   (B)   Nothing in this section shall prohibit the city from taking immediate action if necessary under § 37.99.

   (C)   The lien shall not take precedence over previously recorded liens if:

      (1)   The city failed to comply with the requirements of § 37.13 for notification of the final order; or

      (2)   A prior lien holder completed the actions listed in division (A) above.

   (D)   A lien that does not take precedence over previously recorded liens under division (C) above shall, if the final order remains partially unsatisfied, continue to take precedence over all other subsequent liens except liens for state, county, school board and city taxes.

   (E)   The city may record a lien before the 45-day period established in division (A) above expires. If the lien is fully satisfied prior to the expiration of the 45-day period, the city shall release the lien in the County Clerk’s office where the lien is recorded within 15 days of satisfaction.

   (F)   Failure of the city to comply with § 37.13 or this section, or failure of a lien to take precedence over previously filed liens as provided in division (C) above, shall not limit or restrict any other remedies the city has against the property of the violator.

(Ord. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

§ 37.15 IMMEDIATE ACTION REMEDY VIOLATION OF CHAPTER.

   Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit a local government from taking immediate action to remedy a violation of its ordinances when there is reason to believe that the existence of the violation presents imminent danger, a serious threat to the public health, safety and welfare, or if in the absence of immediate action, the effects of the violation will be irreparable or irreversible.

(Ord. 14-2019, passed 11-5-2019)

PROPERTY