(a) At the hearing required by Section 1310.04, the report of the City Manager shall be presented and shall constitute prima facie evidence of blight on the property and need for the City to acquire such property in order to eliminate the blight and prevent recurrence of blight thereon. Thereafter, the owner, person in charge, occupant of the property or any person having an interest therein may proceed to show cause why the property should not be declared blighted or the City should not acquire such property for the purposes of eliminating blight or preventing its recurrence.
(b) If the owner, person in charge or occupant of the property appears and presents testimony for the purpose of showing cause why the property should not be declared blighted or why the City should not acquire the property for the purposes of eliminating the blight and preventing recurrence of blight, the City Manager, or duly appointed representative, shall proceed to present evidence to Council of the existence of blight on the property and need to acquire the property for elimination of the blight and the prevention of the recurrence of the blight thereon. Members of the public residing in the neighborhood or who may otherwise have knowledge of the condition of such property may address Council at the hearing in regard to the proposed action of the City.
(c) Council may adjourn the hearing, from time to time, and grant continuances to the City Manager, the City Manager's representative or the owner, person in charge or occupant of the property, in order for them to present further argument or evidence in regard to the existence of blight on the property or the need for the City to acquire the property in order to eliminate blight or prevent the recurrence of blight thereon.
(Ord. 2021-60. Passed 6-8-21.)