The owner of any lot, or portion thereof, included in an order may, at any time prior to awarding a contract for doing the work of filling in the lot, present and file with the city council a protest against the filling up of such lot, or portion thereof, as contemplated by the order, on the ground that such lot, or portion thereof, is not, during any portion of the year, covered with stagnant water. And if, on hearing of such protest, the city council finds the same to be true, it shall, by its order, exclude such lot, or portion of a lot, from their original order; but, if the city council finds the protest to be not true, they shall proceed as if no such protest had been presented or filed. (Prior code § 21.04.020)