[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Watervliet 4-20-1972 as § 14-2 of Ch. 14 of the Code of Ordinances
of 1972; amended in its entirety 8-9-2018 by Ord. No. 1980. Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the
meanings indicated:
As defined and authorized pursuant to Chapter 276 of the Code of the City of Watervliet.
The Inspector of Buildings or his/her designee or Code Enforcement
Officers.
A person, agent, operator, firm, association, organization,
partnership, company, corporation, beneficiary trust, trustee and
all other person(s) having a legal or equitable interest in the property;
or recorded in the official records of the state, county or municipality
as holding title to the property, or otherwise having control of the
property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person,
and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if
ordered to take possession of real property by a court.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any owner of any lot or parcel of land in
the City of Watervliet to permit or maintain on any such lot or parcel
of land or on or along the sidewalk, street or alley adjacent to the
same between the property line and the curb or the middle of the alley,
or for 15 feet outside of such property line if there is no curb,
any growth of weeds, grass, brush or other rank vegetation to a height
greater than 10 inches on the average or any accumulation of dead
weeds, grass or brush.
A.
In addition to prosecution of violations of this chapter pursuant to § 123-3, the City may remove the offending conditions pursuant to the following procedure:
(1)
When the enforcement officer determines that a violation of § 123-2 exists, he shall serve a written notice of violation by first-class mail addressed to the last known owner of the subject property as shown by the records of the Assessor's Office of the City of Watervliet. The notice shall state "The growth of grass, weeds, brush or other rank vegetation on this property violates Chapter 123 of the Code of the City of Watervliet. Should the violating conditions not be corrected within five days of the date of this notice, the City of Watervliet will correct the violating condition and charge the owner of the property a mobilization fee of $50 plus the cost of correcting the violation. If these charges are not promptly paid, they will become a lien on the subject property and be added to and appear on the next City tax bill for said property." The notice should specify the subject property via street address, the name and address of the owner, and the nature of the violation.
(2)
When five days have expired after the mailing of the above described
notice, the General Manager shall direct City employees or contractors
to correct the violation if the owner has not corrected the violating
condition.
(3)
The General Manager shall cause such weeds, grass, brush and other
rank vegetation on such lot or parcel of land to be cut and removed.
A mobilization fee of $50 and the actual costs of such cutting and
removal and other additional costs in connection therewith shall be
certified by the General Manager to the Director of Finance, who shall
mail a bill for same to the owner; and if said bill is unpaid after
30 days, the charges shall thereupon become and be a lien against
the property and be added to and appear on the next City tax bill
for said property and shall be collected and enforced by the City
in the same manner as taxes.
