A. All hearings under this chapter shall be held before the hearing officer appointed pursuant to Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 1.13. The hearing officer shall hear all facts and testimony he or she deems pertinent. Said facts and testimony may include testimony on the condition that the vehicle or part thereof and the circumstances concerning its location on the said private property or public property. The hearing officer shall not be limited by the technical rules of evidence. The owner of the land on which the vehicle or part thereof is located may appear in person at the hearing or present a sworn written statement in time for consideration at the hearing, and deny responsibility for the presence of the vehicle on the land with his or her reasons for such denial.
B. The hearing officer may impose such conditions and take such other action as he or she deems appropriate under the circumstances to carry out the purpose of this chapter. He or she may delay the time for removal of the vehicle or part thereof if, in his or her opinion, the circumstances justify it. At the conclusion of the public hearing the hearing officer may find that a vehicle or a part thereof is inoperative, abandoned, wrecked or dismantled on private or public property and order the same removed from the property as a public nuisance and disposed of as hereinafter provided and determine that the administrative costs and the costs of removal be charged against the owner of the land on which the vehicle or part thereof is located. The order requiring removal shall include a description of the vehicle or part thereof and the correct identification number and vehicle number of the vehicle, if available, at the site.
C. If it is determined at the hearing that the vehicle was placed on the land without the consent of the landowner and he has not subsequently acquiesced in its presence, the hearing officer shall not assess costs of administration or removal of the vehicle against the property upon which the vehicle is located or otherwise attempt to collect such costs from such landowner. (Ord. 2009-05 § 6, 2009; Prior code § 4090)