(A) It is hereby the duty of the Zoning Administrator, or his or her duly authorized agent, to view and inspect the lots and lands within the corporate limits for growing weeds and worthless vegetation. If growing weeds and worthless vegetation, which shall include noxious weeds, are found growing on property within the corporate limits of the city, the Zoning Administrator shall give notice to the property owners to destroy or remove the weeds from the property.
(B) For the purpose of this section, a property owner shall be in violation of this section if weeds grow in excess of eight inches, or if there is presence of any noxious weeds regardless of how high they may be. If an owner of property fails, neglects or refuses after five days notice by publication or by personal service to destroy or remove the weeds from property within the corporate limits of the city, the Zoning Administrator shall arrange for the destruction and removal of the weeds from the property.
(C) Notice by publication can be accomplished by posting a notice on the premises and by publication in a newspaper in general circulation within the corporate limits of the city. If the municipality shall cut the weeds or arrange for spraying noxious weeds, the cost shall be a minimum of $100, plus $30 per hour per person in excess of each hour or part of an hour that the municipal employees are engaged in this activity. The cost thereof shall be assessed against the lot or parcel of land as a special tax thereon and shall be collected as other taxes of the municipality or may be recovered by civil suit brought by the municipality against the owner of the parcel of land.
(D) In the event the property owner is a nonresident of the county in which the property lies, the municipality shall, before levying any special assessment against that property, send a copy of any notice required by law to be published by means of certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the nonresident property owner. The last known address shall be that address listed on the current tax rolls at the time such required notice was first published.
(Prior Code, § 8-106) (Ord. 510, passed 10-2-1990; Ord. 649, passed 3-4-2003) Penalty, see § 151.999