The word "weeds," as used in this Article, is
defined to include all Canada thistles, ragweed, burdocks, any senecio
species and all rank vegetable growth which exhale unpleasant and
noxious odors and also high and rank vegetable growth that may conceal
filthy deposits.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or
holding real estate to allow or maintain on any lot within the corporate
limits of the city, any growth of weeds, ragweed and other noxious
weeds, to a height of over eight (8) inches, or which constitutes
a traffic hazard growing on an adjacent street up to the curbline,
and such growth of weeds is hereby declared to be a nuisance, injurious
to public interests and public health. All grass, hedges, vines, shrubs
and brush should be reasonably cut or trimmed and the trimmings or
clippings removed therefrom.
When the Director of Health ascertains that
noxious weeds are growing on lands within the city and are about to
spread or mature seeds, he shall cause written notice to be served
upon the owner, lessee, agent or tenant having charge of any lot or
lands within the city that noxious weeds are growing on such lands
and that they must be cut, removed and destroyed within ten (10) days
after the service of such notice. If such owner or person having charge
of such lands is a nonresident whose address is known, such notice
shall be sent to his address by registered mail; if the address of
such owner is unknown, it shall be sufficient to publish such notice
once in a newspaper of general circulation in the city.
If the owner, lessee, agent or tenant having charge of the lands mentioned in §
434-26, fails or refuses to comply with such notice, the Director of Public Safety shall thereupon notify the Director of Public Works, who shall cause the noxious weeds to be cut out and destroyed and for such purpose, he may employ the necessary labor to carry out the provisions of this section.
The amount expended by the Department of Public Works for the removal of a nuisance under §
434-27 shall be certified to the City Solicitor, who shall cause a lien to be filed against the parcel of real estate involved to ensure the collection of the debt until paid or he may collect the same as any other debt is collected.
Any person who shall fail or refuse to cut and destroy weeds after ten (10) days' notice under this Article shall, upon conviction before the District Justice, be subject to the penalties of §
1-16.