(a) CRIMINAL PENALTIES. Any person who violates any provision of this Article 15.1 shall be deemed guilty of an infraction. Any person who violates this Article, or Police Code Section 49, more than once in a 12-month period shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. A first violation of this Article 15.1, or Police Code Section 49, is an infraction that is punishable by a fine of not more than $100. A second violation within one year of the date of the first violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the prosecutor. A third or subsequent violation within one year of the date of the second or subsequent violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the prosecutor. Each day a Person conducts, operates, or maintains a Business without a valid permit shall constitute a separate violation.
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES.
(1) The Director may issue administrative citations for the violation of any condition imposed on a permit granted under this Article 15.1 and the violation of any provision of this Article including but not limited to Section 1060.1 (operating without a lawful Place of Entertainment permit) and Section 1060.31 or 1060.32 (governing Security Plans). In addition, the Director may issue administrative citations for the violation of any provision of law regarding such permits, including but not limited to permits authorized under Police Code Article 29 (Regulation of Noise). Administrative Code Chapter 100, "Procedures Governing the Imposition of Administrative Fines," is hereby incorporated in its entirety and shall govern the amount of fees and the procedure for imposition, enforcement, collection, and administrative review of administrative citations issued under this subsection (b). The Director shall impose fines for violations of any permit condition and any violation of Section 1060.31 or 1060.32 as set forth in Section 100.5(a) of the Administrative Code. For purposes of calculating and imposing the administrative penalties under this subsection (b), each day a violation occurs or continues shall constitute a separate violation. 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.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (b)(1), the procedure governing the appeal of a citation set forth in Administrative Code Chapter 100 is revised as provided in this subsection (b)(2). The Controller may designate the Director of the Department of Public Works as a hearing officer under Administrative Code Section 100.7, but shall designate such officer for no more than one appeal a month and for no more than 12 times in a 12-month period.
(3) Failure to Pay the Administrative Penalties. If the responsible party fails to pay the administrative penalties to the Department within 30 days of service of the administrative citation, or within 30 days of the date the penalties have been upheld on appeal, the Director may take such action to collect the fees as he or she deems appropriate, including referral of the matter to the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue Collection under Article V, Section 10.39 of the Administrative Code, initiation of lien proceedings under Article XX, Section 10.230 et seq. of the Administrative Code, and/or requesting that the City Attorney pursue collection of the penalties imposed against the responsible party in a civil action. The City Attorney may request its attorneys’ fees in any action that the City Attorney pursues to collect the administrative penalties or to enforce collection of the penalties.
(c) CIVIL PENALTIES.
(1) Presumption of Noncompliance with Order. In addition to any other penalties provided in this Article 15.1, any person or entity served with a notice or order by the Director setting forth the nature of the violation of this Article, demanding correction of such violation, and specifying the time within which such violation must be corrected, shall be presumed, in subsequent civil proceedings, to have failed to comply with that notice or order at and after the time given in that notice or order for correction of such violation, after the time period specified in the notice or order has expired without correction of that violation.
(2) Injunction. In a civil action brought by the City Attorney, any person who commits, or proposes to commit, an action in violation of this Article 15.1 may be enjoined therefrom.
(3) Penalty Amounts. Any person or entity violating this Article 15.1 shall be liable for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation for each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue, which 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.
(4) Setting Civil Penalty. In assessing the amount of the civil penalty, the Court shall consider any one or more of the relevant circumstances presented by any of the parties to the case, including but not limited to the following: the nature and seriousness of the misconduct, the number of violations, the persistence of the misconduct, the length of time over which the misconduct occurred, the willfulness of the defendant’s misconduct, and the defendant’s assets, liabilities, and net worth. In addition, such violations will not be deemed legally abated until the property owner makes full payment of the assessment of costs and fees awarded to the City under this Article or any applicable State law.
(5) Cost Recovery. In any civil proceeding filed by the City Attorney to collect civil penalties, the Court may award the City costs and fees, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, and costs of investigation, enforcement, abatement, and litigation, authorized under this Article.
(d) The remedies specified in this Article 15.1 shall not preclude any other remedies available under state or local law.
(Amended by Ord. 273-73, App. 7/6/73; Ord. 262-04, File No. 041148, App. 11/4/2004; Ord. 239-09, File No. 080323, App. 11/20/2009; Ord. 100-13
, File No. 130182, App. 6/6/2013, Eff. 7/6/2013; Ord. 163-17, File No. 170443, App. 7/27/2017, Eff. 8/26/2017; Ord. 250-18, File No. 180002, App. 11/2/2018, Eff. 12/3/2018)