CHAPTER 4
MUNICIPAL INFRACTIONS

 

4.01 Municipal Infraction	4.04 Civil Citations
4.02 Environmental Violation	4.05 Alternative Relief
4.03 Penalties	4.06 Alternative Penalties

 

4.01 MUNICIPAL INFRACTION.

A violation of this Code of Ordinances or any ordinance or code herein adopted by reference or the omission or failure to perform any act or duty required by the same, with the exception of those provisions specifically provided under State law as a felony, an aggravated misdemeanor, or a serious misdemeanor, or a simple misdemeanor under Chapters 687 through 747 of the Code of Iowa, is a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalty as provided herein.† 2

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.22[3])

 

Notes

2	† EDITOR’S NOTE: For criminal penalty for violations of this Code of Ordinances, see Section 1.14.

4.02 ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATION.

A municipal infraction that is a violation of Chapter 455B of the Code of Iowa or of a standard established by the City in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, or both, may be classified as an environmental violation. However, the provisions of this section shall not be applicable until the City has offered to participate in informal negotiations regarding the violation or to the following specific violations:

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.22[1])

1.   A violation arising from noncompliance with a pretreatment standard or requirement referred to in 40 C.F.R. §403.8.

2.   The discharge of airborne residue from grain, created by the handling, drying, or storing of grain, by a person not engaged in the industrial production or manufacturing of grain products.

3.   The discharge of airborne residue from grain, created by the handling, drying, or storing of grain, by a person engaged in such industrial production or manufacturing if such discharge occurs from September 15 to January 15.

4.03 PENALTIES.

A municipal infraction is punishable by the following civil penalties:

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.22[1])

1.   Standard Civil Penalties.

   A.   First offense – $100.00

   B.   Second offense – $250.00

   C.   Third and each subsequent offense – $500.00

Each day that a violation occurs or is permitted to exist constitutes a repeat offense.

2.   Special Civil Penalties.

   A.   A municipal infraction arising from noncompliance with a pretreatment standard or requirement, referred to in 40 C.F.R. §403.8, by an industrial user is punishable by a penalty of not more than $1,000.00 for each day a violation exists or continues.

   B.   A municipal infraction classified as an environmental violation is punishable by a penalty of not more than $1,000.00 for each occurrence. However, an environmental violation is not subject to such penalty if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

      (1)   The violation results solely from conducting an initial startup, cleaning, repairing, performing scheduled maintenance, testing, or conducting a shutdown of either equipment causing the violation or the equipment designed to reduce or eliminate the violation.

      (2)   The City is notified of the violation within 24 hours from the time that the violation begins.

      (3)   The violation does not continue in existence for more than eight hours.