(A) Notice of violation. A written notice of violation shall be served to the owner and occupant of the property. The notice shall state the condition constituting such public nuisance and shall order the prompt abatement of the condition within a specified time. It shall be unlawful for any person, upon receipt of the notice of violation to fail to comply within the time specified on the notice. Should an owner or occupant be deemed a chronic violator, as defined by this code, then only one initial annual notice within the next calendar year is required to be served.
(B) Posting of notice. The property may be posted by the Code Enforcement Officer on the date of the notice of violation in a prominent location on the street facing facade of any building or yard, with a placard or other appropriate means of notice declaring the property is a public nuisance property.
(C) Failure to comply. If the owner or occupant having been ordered to abate a public nuisance, fails, neglects, or refuses to abate or remove the condition constituting the nuisance within the time specified on the notice of violation, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the condition to be removed or otherwise abated by one of the following courses of action.
(1) The Codes Enforcement Officer shall cause the condition to be removed or otherwise abated by city personnel or private contractor designated by the Code Enforcement Officer.
(2) The city may apply to the appropriate court for an injunction and order of abatement which would require that the owner or occupant correct any unlawful condition relating to this code on the person's property.
(D) Citations. Enforcement officers are empowered to issue citations to the owner or occupant of any property in violation of this code. A civil penalty of $50.00 will be charged for each day a violation continues to exist after the issuance of a citation notice and will continue to accumulate until compliance and abatement has occurred. The civil penalty will be waived if the violation is corrected within the time specified on the citation notice. If the violation is not corrected within the time specified on the citation notice, the civil penalty shall be paid within 30 days after the issue date of a statement of charges. The city may take one of the following courses of action to collect an unpaid civil penalty.
(1) The city may turn the bill over to a collection agency as provided by the authority of the city.
(2) A lien may be levied against the property owner for the cost of the citation fee as provided by the authority of the city.
(Ord. 20-30, passed 11-24-2020)