(a) Upon written information that noxious weeds are growing on land in the Municipality and are about to spread or mature to seed, the Manager shall cause a written notice to be served upon the owner, lessee, agent or tenant having charge of such land, notifying him that noxious weeds are growing on such land and that they must be cut and destroyed within five days after service of such notice. If the owner or other person having charge of such land is a nonresident whose address is known, such notice shall be sent to his address by registered or certified mail. If the address of such owner is unknown, it shall be sufficient to publish such notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the County. No person shall fail to comply with such notice within the period of time stipulated.
(b) The Police Chief or any police officer may make the service and return of the notice provided for in division (a) of this section.
(c) If the owner, lessee, agent or tenant having charge of such land fails to comply with the notice required by this section, then, in addition to the penalty provided in division (e) of this section, Council shall authorize such noxious weeds to be cut and destroyed, and may employ the necessary labor to perform such task and all expenses shall, when approved by Council, be paid out of the money in the Treasury of the Municipality not otherwise appropriated.
(d) Council shall make a written return to the County Auditor of its actions under this section with a statement of the charges for its services, the amount paid for performing such labor, the fees of the officer who made the service of the notice and return, and a proper description of the premises, pursuant to Ohio R.C. 731.51 through 731.54. Such amounts, when allowed, shall be entered upon the tax duplicate and shall be a lien upon such land from the date of the entry and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the General Fund. Such remedy shall be in addition to the penalty provided in division (e) of this section.
(Res. 63-16. Passed 5-6-63.)
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.