(a) Civil Enforcement. The Director of Public Health may enforce the provisions of this Article against violators by serving notice requiring the correction of any violation within a reasonable time specified by the Director. Upon the violator's failure to comply with the notice within the time period specified, (1) the Director may request the City Attorney to maintain an action for injunction to enforce the provisions of this Article and for assessment and recovery of a civil penalty for such violation and (2) the owner of the premises or the person with the right to possession and management of the property may maintain an action for injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of this Article and an action for damages. Damages may be awarded up to $500 a day for each day the violation occurs or is permitted to continue. It is necessary to specify the amount of such damages because of the extreme difficulty that the owner or other authorized person would have in establishing injury based on lost business, lost productivity due to health injuries caused by tobacco smoke, and other costs arising because of the health problems created by smoking. Any civil penalties collected under this Article shall be credited to the Public Health Environmental Health Code Compliance Fund, authorized by San Francisco Administrative Code Section 10.100-193.
(b) Administrative Enforcement. The Director also may enforce the provisions of this Article by:
(1) Serving a Notice of Violation requesting a person to appear at an administrative hearing before the Director at least 20 days after the Notice of Violation is mailed. At the hearing, the person cited with violating the provisions of this Article shall be provided an opportunity to refute all evidence against him or her. The Director shall oversee the hearing and issue a ruling within 20 days of its conclusion. The Director's ruling shall be final; or,
(2) Issuing a citation under San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 100, "Procedures Governing the Imposition of Administrative Fines," which is hereby incorporated in its entirety and shall govern the imposition, enforcement, collection, and review of administrative citations issued to enforce this Article, and any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this Article, in addition to the other enforcement mechanisms authorized by this Article, provided, however, that:
(i) Each day a violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate violation;
(ii) The Director of Public Health shall appoint the hearing officer to conduct hearings for appeals;
(iii) The fine for any violation issued pursuant to this section shall be paid to the Treasurer of the City and County of San Francisco and credited to the Public Health Environmental Health Code Compliance Fund, authorized by San Francisco Administrative Code Section 10.100-193;
(iv) The Director may recover any costs and fees, including but not limited to attorneys' fees, for enforcement initiated through this Section and authorized under this Article; and,
(v) The penalty amounts for citations issued under Administrative Code Chapter 100 shall be the same as those set forth in subsection (c).
(c) Any person who violates or refuses to comply with the provisions of this Article shall be liable for a civil or administrative penalty in the amounts set forth in Cal. Labor Code Sec. 6404.5 for each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue. A civil penalty shall be assessed and recovered in a civil action brought in the name of the people of the City and County of San Francisco, by the City Attorney, in any court of competent jurisdiction. Any penalty assessed and recovered in a civil or administrative action brought pursuant to this Section shall be paid to the Treasurer of the City and County of San Francisco and credited to the Public Health Environmental Health Code Compliance Fund. An administrative penalty shall be assessed following an administrative hearing as described in subsection (b).
(Added by Ord. 249-94, App. 7/7/94; amended by Ord. 58-10, File No. 091443, App. 3/25/2010)