(a) When the Director finds that a user has violated, or continues to violate, any provision of this Chapter, an individual wastewater discharge permit, order issued pursuant to this Chapter, or any pretreatment standard or requirement, the Director may fine such user in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day, as required under Ohio Administrative Code Section 3745-3-03. Such fines shall be assessed on a per- violation, per-day basis. In the case of monthly or other long-term average discharge limits, fines shall be assessed for each day during the period of violation.
(b) Unpaid charges, fines, and penalties shall, after thirty (30) calendar days, be assessed an additional penalty of ten percent (10%) of the unpaid balance, and interest shall accrue thereafter at a rate of two percent (2%) per month. A lien against the user's property shall be sought for unpaid charges, fines, and penalties.
(c) Users desiring to dispute such fines must file a written request for the Director to reconsider the fine along with full payment of the fine amount within fourteen (l4) calendar days of being notified of the fine. Where a request has merit, the Director may convene a hearing on the matter. In the event the user's appeal is successful, the payment, together with any interest accruing thereto, shall be returned to the User. The Director may add the costs of preparing administrative enforcement actions, such as notices and orders, to the fine.
(d) Issuance of an administrative fine shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against the user.
(Ord. 2008-375. Adopted 9-29-08.)