A. Citation Power. The director of community development may issue an administrative citation as provided by this chapter.
B. Violations Subject to Citation. Any violation of the Signal Hill Municipal Code, condition of approval of a permit, license, or entitlement, condition of environmental review, or city agreement is subject to the administrative citation process.
C. Correction Notice. If the violation is of a continuing nature, pertains to building, plumbing, electrical, or other similar structural or zoning issues, and is deemed by the enforcement officer not to create an immediate danger to health and safety, then the enforcement officer must issue a written correction notice to the responsible party before a fine may be imposed. Such notice must refer to the code section(s) violated and facts supporting the issuance of the correction notice. The correction notice must also describe the action(s) necessary to correct the violation, state the final date by which the correction must be completed, which must be a reasonable period of time in the discretion of the enforcement officer, and inform the responsible party that he or she is subject to citation if the correction is not made by that date. A correction notice is not appealable.
D. Fine Amount. Any responsible party who receives an administrative citation is subject to the payment of fines as set forth in this section. Administrative fines for administrative citation may be set by the city council by resolution in a schedule of fines, which may be amended from time to time, or in an applicable ordinance. If the fine is not otherwise set by resolution or ordinance, fines for administrative citations are as follows:
1. A fine not exceeding $100 for a first violation;
2. A fine not exceeding $200 for a second violation of the same provision of this code within one year; and
3. A fine not exceeding $500 for each additional violation of the same provision of this code within one year.
E. Citation Contents. Each administrative citation must contain the following information:
1. Name of responsible party;
2. Date and location where the violation(s) was observed;
3. The code section(s) or condition(s) violated and a description of the violation(s);
4. The amount of the fine for the violation(s);
5. An explanation of how the fine must be paid, and the time period within which it must be paid;
6. Identification of rights of appeal and appeal process, including the time within which the administrative citation may be contested;
7. The name of the enforcement officer issuing the administrative citation; and
8. An order to correct the violation, the actions needed to correct the violation, the timeframe within which to correct the violation, and an explanation of the consequences for failing to correct the violation.
F. Delivery of Citations. An administrative citation must be issued by personal service on the responsible party or first-class United States mail to the responsible party’s last known address. Service is effective on the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed. The failure of a responsible party to receive a properly-served administrative citation does not affect the validity of the administrative citation or any proceeding undertaken to this chapter.
G. Satisfaction of Citation. Within fifteen calendar days from the date the administrative citation is issued, the responsible party must do one of the following:
1. Pay the administrative fine designated on the administrative citation; or
2. Pay the administrative fine designated on the administrative citation and make a written request to the city clerk for an administrative hearing in accordance with Section 8.13.050.
H. Obligation to Correct Violation. Payment of a fine does not excuse or discharge a failure to correct continuing violation, nor does it bar further enforcement action by the city. Failure to correct the municipal code violation may result in the issuance of additional administrative fine citations, the commencement of a criminal prosecution, or the imposition of any other legal remedy available to the city.
(Ord. 2023-11-1545 § 8 (part), 2023; Ord. 2001-10-1296 § 2 (part))