The following requirements shall govern all enforcement proceedings before the Code Enforcement Board:
(A) Enforcement proceedings shall only be initiated by the issuance of a citation by a Code Enforcement Officer.
(B) Except when immediate action is necessary pursuant to § 153.17, if a code enforcement officer believes, based on his or her personal observation or investigation, that a person has violated a city ordinance, he or she shall issue a notice of violation allowing the alleged violator a specified period of time to remedy the violation without incurring a fine. If the alleged violator fails or refuses to remedy the violation within the time specified, the Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to issue a citation.
(C) The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a citation by one of the following methods:
(1) Personal service to the alleged violator;
(2) Leaving a copy of the citation with any person 18 years of age or older who is on the premises, if the alleged violator is not on the premises at the time the citation is issued; or
(3) Posting a copy of the citation in a conspicuous place on the premises and mailing a copy of the citation by regular, first-class mail to the owner of record of the property, if no one is on the premises at the time the citation is issued who can be served the citation.
(D) The citation issued by the Code Enforcement Officer shall contain the following information:
(1) The date and time of issuance;
(2) The name and address of the person to whom the citation is issued;
(3) The physical address of the premises where the violation occurred;
(4) The date and time the offense was committed or noted to exist;
(5) The facts constituting the offense;
(6) The section of the code or the number of the ordinance violated;
(7) The name of the Code Enforcement Officer;
(8) The civil fine that may be imposed for the violation, including, if applicable:
(a) The civil fine that will be imposed if the person does not contest the citation; and
(b) The maximum civil fine that may be imposed if the person elects to contest the citation;
(c) The procedure for the person to follow in order to pay the civil fine or to contest the citation; and
(d) A statement that if the person fails to pay the civil fine set forth in the citation or contest the citation within the time allowed: (i) the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to a hearing before the Code Enforcement Board to contest the citation; (ii) the determination that the violation was committed shall be final; (iii) the citation as issued shall be deemed a final order determining that the violation was committed and imposing the civil fine as set forth in the citation; and, (iv) the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to appeal the final order to District Court.
(E) After issuing a citation to an alleged violator, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the Code Enforcement Board by delivering the citation to the City Clerk, Attention: Mayor.
(F) (1) The person to whom the citation is issued shall respond to the citation within the time allotted, as specified by the Code Enforcement Officer, but not less than 10 days, by either paying the civil fine or requesting, in writing, a hearing to contest the citation. If the person fails to respond to the citation within the allotted time, the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to a hearing and the determination that a violation was committed shall be considered final. In this event, the citation as issued shall be deemed a final order determining that the violation was committed and imposing the civil fine as set forth in the citation, and the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to appeal the final order to District Court.
(2) Notice of a final order shall be provided to the cited violator by (a) regular first- class mail; (b) certified mail, return receipt requested; (c) personal delivery; or (d) by leaving the notice at the person's usual place of residence with any individual residing therein who is 18 years of age or older and who is informed of the contents of the notice.
(Ord. 2019-014, passed 1-6-2020; Am. Ord. 2024-002, passed 4-22-2024)