(A) Notwithstanding any provision of the Santa Fe Springs Municipal Code Municipal Code to the contrary, the Police Services Director, the Fire Chief, the Public Works Director, or the Building Official, or any of their designees, may cause a public nuisance to be summarily abated if it is determined that the nuisance creates an imminent hazard to a person or persons, or to other real or personal property. Prior to abating the nuisance, the City Manager, or a designee thereof, may attempt to notify a responsible person by telephone or in writing of the imminent hazard and request its abatement by said person. A public official may, in his or her discretion, dispense with an attempt of prior notification of a responsible person if the nature or severity of the hazard justifies such inaction.
(B) If, in the sole discretion of the public official declaring an imminent hazard, the responsible person(s) fail(s) to take immediate and meaningful steps to abate the imminent hazard, the city may abate the nuisance with city personnel, and charge the costs and fees thereof to the responsible person(s).
(C) If the Director moves to abate the nuisance, the city shall follow the provisions in § 95.06 to gain entry to the property.
(D) Within ten business days following emergency actions of city personnel to abate an imminent hazard, the city shall serve any responsible person with a notice of emergency abatement by city personnel of an imminent hazard by personal service or certified mail, return receipt requested. The city may, if a responsible person is a property owner, rely on that person's mailing address according to the last equalized assessment roll of the Los Angeles County Assessor's Office in determining a service address for this notice. Failure of any responsible person to receive a notice of emergency abatement by city personnel of an imminent hazard by mail shall not invalidate any action or proceeding pursuant to this chapter.
(E) A notice of emergency abatement by city personnel of an imminent hazard shall contain the following provisions:
(1) The name(s) of all known responsible persons who are being served with the notice of emergency abatement by city personnel of an imminent hazard and the address of the real property on which the imminent hazard was present.
(2) A brief description of the condition(s) and reasons why it constitutes an imminent hazard.
(3) A brief description of the law prohibiting or pertaining to the imminent hazard.
(4) A brief description of the actions city personnel took to abate the imminent hazard.
(F) Omission of any of the foregoing provisions in a notice of emergency abatement by city personnel of an imminent hazard, whether in whole or in part, or the failure of a responsible person to receive this document, shall not render it defective or render any proceeding or action pursuant to this chapter invalid.
(G) The city shall be entitled to recover its fees and costs (incidental or otherwise) for the abatement of an imminent hazard. In such instances, the city shall follow the procedures set forth in this chapter.
(H) Any abatement pursuant to this section shall be limited to the actions necessary to neutralize the immediate danger only. A post-abatement hearing shall be provided to the responsible person(s).
(Ord. 993, passed 6-26-08; Am. Ord. 1128, passed 5-16-23) Penalty, see § 95.99