Unless otherwise expressly stated or unless the context clearly indicates a different intention, the following terms shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the following meanings:
ABATE OR ABATEMENT: A. As applied to owner/occupants: The removal or correction of the condition or circumstances causing the property to be deemed a chronic nuisance property and/or the complete cessation of the action causing same.
B. As applied to a nonoccupant owner: The initiation of all such actions or steps as may be reasonable and legal under the circumstances (and which would ordinarily lead to an abatement of the problem) together with a good faith continuation of those efforts.
ENFORCEMENT ACTION: An arrest, a determination that there is probable cause to make an arrest, the issuance of a citation, or issuance of a written or verbal warning associated with a nuisance activity as defined herein.
NUISANCE ACTIVITIES: Any illegal activity titled as the following in the Waterloo Police Department shield database under "call reporting":
Assault (any variation of an assault).
Disorder (disorderly conduct).
Drug (drug violation).
Fight.
Fireworks.
Gambling.
Liquor (liquor violations).
Loiter (loitering).
Loud (loud/noise/vehicle/machinery).
Loudpart (loud party).
Medshoot (shooting in progress).
Prostitu (prostitution).
Sex (sex offenses).
Susp (suspicious).
Weapon (both weapons violations and shots fired).
Illegal activity is that which is defined by Iowa Code 701.2 as a public offense;
A public offense is that which is prohibited by statute and is punishable by fine or imprisonment.
OWNER: Any person, agent, firm, corporation, association or partnership, including a mortgagee in possession in whom is vested all or part of the legal title to property or all or part of the beneficial ownership and the right to present use and enjoyment of the premises, or an occupant of that structure.
PERSON: Any natural person, association, partnership, corporation or other legal entity capable of owning or using property.
POLICE SERVICE FEE: The Police Department service fee is fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour per officer. Any fraction of an hour is tabulated as a complete hour. Example: If one officer responds and is at the property for fifteen (15) minutes, the fee is fifty dollars ($50.00). If two (2) officers respond and are at the property for one minute, the fee is one hundred dollars ($100.00).
PROPERTY: Any single parcel in the City of Waterloo assigned a Black Hawk County parcel identification number. For property consisting of more than one unit, the term "property" shall refer to a particular unit. (Ord. 5238, 9-15-2014; amd. Ord. 5409, 7-24-2017)
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a systematic procedure for effectively abating properties that negatively impact the quality of life in neighborhoods. These types of properties tend to place an undue and inappropriate burden on the other taxpayers in the City of Waterloo by the frequent and chronic use of law enforcement services at the properties. (Ord. 5238, 9-15-2014)
Any property that has generated three (3) or more calls for police services in any period less than twelve (12) months for nuisance activities that result in an enforcement action is a chronic nuisance property and has received more than the level of general and adequate police service and has placed an undue and inappropriate burden on the taxpayers of the City of Waterloo. As such, the Waterloo Police Department may charge the owners of such property the costs associated with providing police services, in the form of a police service fee, at properties at which nuisance activities chronically occur. Any nuisance activities reported by the owner of the property, a person designated by the owner of the property, or that are deemed as domestic abuse, shall not be counted. (Ord. 5238, 9-15-2014)
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