(a) The Director, the City Code Enforcement Officer, or a designee of either of them may make a thorough sanitary inspection of all public and private property in the City.
(b) Upon such inspection, the Director of Public Safety and Service, or the City Code Enforcement Officer, or a designee of either of them, may give written notice in a manner prescribed in subsection (d) below to persons to abate nuisances, clean thoroughly and to cause all trash and other unclean and unsightly matter to be removed from such public and private property in the City. Said notice shall describe the nature of the work to be done, or the nuisance to be abated or cleaned or the trash and unsightly matter to be removed from such property.
For the purposes of this section, “trash” shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, accumulation of trash bags, used furniture and bedding, cardboard cartons, boxes or bags, used plumbing fixtures and appliances, and used household articles.
(c) The written notice referred to in the preceding paragraph shall give the time of the notice. The notice shall give a time for compliance with the order, which shall be not less than five days from the date of the notice.
(d) The notice may be served personally or left at the usual place of residence of such owner, occupant or person in charge of such property or served by certified mail. In lieu of service, the order may be published for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the City.
(e) If the notice has been served personally or by certified mail and it is found that the order has not been complied with as to any lot or parcel of property, the Director, the City Code Enforcement Officer, or a designee of either of them may issue a complaint to be filed in the Auglaize County Municipal Court charging a violation of this section.
(f) The notice shall provide that, in addition to the filing of a complaint, that upon refusal or failure to comply with the notice, the work required may be done by the cty and the amount expended therefor shall be a valid claim against the property which may be assessed against the property by the Director of Public Service and safety or his designated agent. This remedy is independent of any fine levied for a violation of this section.
(g) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on the first offense. Whoever is cited for subsequent violations within a one year period will be guilty of a fourth degree misdemeanor. (Ord. 2014-15. Passed 4-28-14.)