[Ord. No. 4-27 §1, 8-18-2003; Ord. No. 4-41 §1, 6-23-2014]
A. 
Trash, Weeds, High Grass And Other Vegetation - Declared Nuisance. All persons owning any lot or tract of land in the City shall keep the same free of trash and shall remove all weeds, high grass and other vegetation growing to a height in excess of seven (7) inches. Whenever such trash shall accumulate or weeds, high grass or other unattended vegetation shall attain the height of seven (7) inches, it shall be deemed a public nuisance.
B. 
Unlawful To Maintain Such Nuisance. Any owner of any lot or tract of land who causes or permits trash, weeds, tall grass or other vegetation to exist in violation of Subsection (A) shall be deemed to have committed an ordinance violation and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in Section 100.110.
C. 
Liability - Abatement. Whenever the trash, weeds, high grass or other vegetation in violation of Subsection (A) of this Section is allowed to accumulate or grow on any part of any lot or ground within the City, the owner of the ground or, in case of joint tenancy, tenancy by entireties or tenancy in common, each owner thereof shall be liable.
D. 
Notice - Duty To Abate. The Chief of Police shall give a hearing after ten (10) days' notice thereof either personally or by United States mail to the owner or owners, or the owner's agents, or by posting such notice on the premises; thereupon, the Chief of Police may declare the trash, weeds, high grass or other vegetation to be a nuisance and order the same to be abated within five (5) days.
E. 
Disposition. In the event the trash is not removed or the weeds, high grass or other vegetation is not cut down and removed within the five (5) days as ordered, the Chief of Police shall have the trash removed or weeds, high grass or other vegetation cut down and removed, as the case may be, and shall certify the costs of same to the City Clerk.
F. 
Ordinance Violation. An owner who fails to remove the nuisance within seven (7) days of being notified to do so by the Chief of Police shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense of failing to abate nuisance and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in Section 100.110. Every day such nuisance is maintained after such notice shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
G. 
Tax Bill. The City Clerk and/or Finance Officer shall cause the certified cost to be included in a special tax bill or added to the annual real estate tax bill, at the collecting official's option, for the property, and the certified cost shall be collected by the County Collector or other official collecting taxes in the same manner and procedure for collecting real estate taxes. If the certified cost is not paid, the special tax bill shall be considered delinquent, and the collection of the delinquent bill shall be governed by the laws governing delinquent and back taxes. The special tax bill, from the date of its issuance, shall be deemed a personal debt against the owner and shall also be a first lien on the property until paid. The special tax bill shall be prima facie evidence of the recitals therein and of its validity, and no clerical error or informality in the same, or in the proceeding leading up the to issuance, shall be a defense thereto. Such special tax bill, if not paid within thirty (30) days after issuance, shall bear interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum.
H. 
Judicial Review. Any person aggrieved by a determination of the Chief of Police pursuant to Subsection (D) above may seek judicial review of the decision in accordance with the provision for review of administrative decisions pursuant to Chapter 536 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri by filing a petition for judicial review in the Circuit Court of St. Francois County, Missouri, within five (5) business days from the date such determination is made.
I. 
Subsequent Violations - Same Year Or Growing Season. If weeds, high grass or other vegetation is allowed to grow or if trash is allowed to accumulate on the same property in violation of this Section more than once during the same growing season, in the case of weeds, tall grass or other vegetation, or more than once during a calendar year, in the case of trash, the Chief of Police may, without further notification, have the weeds, tall grass, other vegetation or trash removed, and the cost of the same shall be billed in the manner described in this Section.
[1]
Editor's Note — Reference to City Collector has been changed to "County Collector" at the direction of the City.