3.20.140 Alternative procedure for lien.
   (a)   Notice of lien. As an alternative to making a special assessment pursuant to Section 3.20.130, the city manager may determine that a lien would be more appropriate and may proceed according to this section. Within 30 days after the filing of the report referred to in Section 3.20.120, the city clerk shall fix a time and place for hearing and passing upon the report. Notice of the hearing shall be served on the owner or the occupant in the same manner as summons in a civil action in accordance with Code of Civil Procedure Section 415.10 et seq. and not less than ten days prior to time fixed by the city clerk for the hearing. If after diligent search, neither the owner nor the occupant can be found, the notice may be served by posting a copy thereof in a conspicuous place upon the property for a period of ten days and publication thereof in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county of Los Angeles pursuant to Government Code Section 6062. The notice shall contain a description of the property sufficient to enable the persons served to identify it, and a copy of the report prepared pursuant to Section 3.20.120, and shall specify the day, hour, and place when the city council will hear and pass upon the report, together with any objections or protests which may be raised by any person liable for the costs of such abatement.
   (b)   Protests. Any interested person, including owner, occupant and/or responsible party may file a written protest with the city clerk at any time prior to the time set for the hearing on the report of the code enforcement official. Each such protest shall contain a description of the property in which the person signing the protest is interested and the grounds of such protest. The city clerk shall endorse on every such protest the date and time of filing, and shall present such protest to the city council at the time set for hearing.
   (c)   Hearing. Upon the day and hour fixed for the hearing, the city council shall consider the report of the code enforcement officer, together with any protests which have been filed with the planning commission secretary. The city council may make such revisions, corrections, or modifications to the report as it may deem just, and when the city council is satisfied with the correctness of the report, as submitted, or as revised, corrected, or modified, shall be confirmed by resolution. The decision of the city council on the report, imposition of a lien and on all protests shall be final and conclusive. The city council may continue the hearing from time to time as it deems necessary.
   (d)   Making the lien. Immediately upon the determination of costs pursuant to this section by the city council, the council shall make said costs a lien against the property on which the nuisance was abated.
   (e)   Notice of lien. The director of finance shall execute and file in the office of the Los Angeles county recorder a certificate which contains the following information:
      (1)   The amount of the lien;
      (2)   That the lien is being imposed by the city;
      (3)   The street address, legal description and assessor's parcel number of the parcel on which the lien is imposed; and
   The name and address of the record owner of the parcel.
   A copy of said notice shall be served on the owner in the manner specified in subsection (a) of this section.
   (f)   Discharge, release or satisfaction of lien. In the event the lien is discharged, released or satisfied, either through payment or foreclosure, notice of the discharge containing the information specified in subsection (e) of this section shall be recorded by the city.
(Ord. 887 § 1(part), 2009; Ord. 790 § 7 (part), 1999; Ord. 718 § 1 (part), 1994)