(A) Lots or pieces of ground within the City or within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction shall be drained or filled so as to prevent stagnant water or any other nuisance accumulating thereon.
(B) The owner or occupant of any lot or piece of ground within the City or within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction shall keep the lot or piece of ground and the adjoining streets and alleys free of any growth of twelve (12) inches or more in height of weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation.
(C) The throwing, depositing, or accumulation of litter on any lot or piece of ground within the City or within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction is prohibited.
(D) It is hereby declared to be a nuisance to permit or maintain any growth of twelve (12) inches or more in height of weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation on any lot or piece of ground within the City or within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction or on the adjoining streets or alleys or to litter or cause litter to be deposited or remain thereon except in proper receptacles.
(E) Any owner or occupant of a lot or piece of ground shall, upon conviction of violating this section, be guilty of an offense.
(F) (1) Notice to abate and remove such nuisance shall be given to each owner or owner's duly authorized agent and to the occupant, if any. Notice shall be given by mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail to the owner or the owner's duly authorized agent and by first class mail to the occupant, if any. Such mail shall be conspicuously marked as to its importance. Notice shall also be given on the same day as the mail is sent to the owner, the owner's duly authorized agent and occupant by conspicuously posting the notice on the real estate upon which the violation is to be abated and removed. The notice shall be printed on 8½ x 11 inch paper in no less than twelve (12) point type and shall describe the violation and reference this ordinance. Within five (5) days after receipt of such notice or posting of the notice on the real estate, the owner or occupant of the lot or piece of ground may request a hearing with the Municipality to appeal the decision to abate or remove a nuisance by filing a written appeal with the office of the City Clerk. A hearing on the appeal shall be held within fourteen (14) days after the filing of the appeal and shall be conducted by the City Council. The City Council shall render a decision on the appeal within five (5) business days after the conclusion of the hearing. If the appeal fails, the City may have such work done. Within five (5) days after receipt of such notice or posting of the notice on the real estate, if the owner or occupant of the lot or piece of ground does not request a hearing with the City or fails to comply with the order to abate and remove the nuisance, the City may have such work done.
(2) The costs and expenses of any such work shall be paid by the owner. If unpaid for two (2) months after such work is done, the City may either:
(a) Levy and assess the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground so benefitted as a special assessment in the same manner as other special assessments for improvements are levied and assessed; or
(b) Recover in a civil action the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground and the adjoining streets and alleys.
(G) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
LITTER. Includes but is not limited to:
(a) Trash, rubbish, refuse, garbage, paper, rags, and ashes;
(b) Wood, plaster, cement, brick, or stone building rubble;
(c) Grass, leaves, and worthless vegetation except when used as ground mulch or in a compost pile;
(d) Offal and dead animals; and
(e) Any machine or machines, vehicle or vehicles, or parts of a machine or vehicle which have lost their identity, character, utility, or serviceability as such through deterioration, dismantling, or the ravages of time, are inoperative or unable to perform their intended functions, or are cast off, discarded, or thrown away or left as waste, wreckage, or junk.
WEEDS. Include, but are not limited to: bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), perennial peppergrass (Lepidium draba), Russian knapweed (Centaurea picris), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), nodding or musk thistle, quack grass (Agropyron repens), perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis), horse nettle (Solanum carolinense), bull thistle (Cirsium lanceolatum), buckthorn (Rhamnus sp.) (town), hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), and ragweed (Ambrosiaceae). (Ref. 17-563 RS Neb.) (Amended by Ord. Nos. 201, 11/6/79; 304, 10/4/88; 343, 4/7/92; 665, 11/2/04; 855, 2/4/14; 926, 5/17/16; 956, 5/2/17)