[Ord. No. 2012-28 §1, 6-11-2012; Ord. No. 2016-15 §1, 5-9-2016; Ord.
No. 2016-30 §1, 9-12-2016; Ord. No. 2017-3 §1, 1-23-2017; Ord. No. 2022-1, 1-10-2022; Ord. No. 2023-12, 4-24-2023]
A.
Any lot or land shall be a public nuisance if it has the presence
of debris of any kind, including, but not limited to, weed cuttings,
cut and fallen trees and shrubs, overgrown vegetation and noxious
weeds which are eight (8) inches or more in height, rubbish and trash,
building materials not piled or stacked, rocks or bricks, tin, steel,
parts of derelict cars or trucks, broken furniture, any flammable
material which may endanger public safety or any material which is
unhealthy or unsafe stored out in the open or under a tarp or other
piece of material, such as plastic or canvas.
1.
This shall include failure to dispose of trash and debris associated
with a change of occupancy of a dwelling unit, commonly referred to
as a "clean out."
2.
This shall include all property located on or in a City or State
right-of-way, including, but not limited to, the area between the
property line and the back of a curb or edge of the pavement.
3.
Undeveloped property, defined as unoccupied property which is
more than one (1) acre and has not been developed, including, but
not limited to, pasture that is not used for agricultural purposes,
may reach a height of twenty-four (24) inches before being declared
a public nuisance, and that the portion of the property adjacent to
an existing street or right-of-way shall be kept at a height of below
eight (8) inches at all times for a distance of twenty (20) feet from
the back of the curb or edge of the pavement.
B.
When a public nuisance as described above exists, the Building Inspector
or other authorized person shall so declare and give written notice
to the owner of the property, and if the property is not owner-occupied,
to any occupant of the property by personal service or by First Class
Mail. Such notice shall, at a minimum:
1.
Declare that a public nuisance exists;
2.
Specifically describe the condition which constitutes such nuisance
and what action will remedy the public nuisance;
3.
Order the removal or abatement of such condition within seven
(7) days from the date of service of such notice;
4.
Inform the owner that he or she may file a written request for
a hearing before the Building Inspector on the question of whether
a nuisance exists upon such property; and
5.
State that if the owner fails to begin removing the nuisance
within time allowed, or upon failure to pursue the removal of such
nuisance without unnecessary delay, the Building Inspector shall cause
the condition which constitutes the nuisance to be removed or abated
and that the cost of such removal or abatement may be included in
a special tax bill or added to the annual real estate tax bill for
the property and collected in the same manner and procedure for collecting
real estate taxes.
C.
If the owner of such property fails to begin removing the nuisance
within the time allowed, or upon failure to pursue the removal of
such nuisance without unnecessary delay, the Building Inspector or
other authorized person shall cause the condition which constitutes
the nuisance to be removed. If the Building Inspector or other authorized
person causes such condition to be removed or abated, the cost of
such removal and the proof of notice to the owner of the property
shall be certified to the City Clerk and/or Building Inspector who
shall cause the certified cost to be included in a special tax bill
or added to the annual real estate tax bill for the property and the
certified cost shall be collected by the City Collector or other official
collecting taxes in the said manner and procedure for collecting real
estate taxes. If the certified cost is not paid, the tax bill shall
be considered delinquent, and the collection of the delinquent bill
shall be governed by the laws governing delinquent back taxes. The
tax bill from the date of its issuance shall be deemed a personal
debt against the owner and shall also be a lien on the property from
the date the tax bill is delinquent until paid.
D.
Failure
to remove a nuisance to a place outside of the City limits within
seven (7) days of written notice to do so is a violation of this Section
for both the owner(s) of the property and the occupant(s). Trash and
debris moved to another property in the City limits of Trenton, Missouri,
in a manner that creates a nuisance as defined herein at the second
property is a violation of this Section for both the owner of the
property that received the initial notice of nuisance and the owner
of the property on which the trash and debris is moved.
[Ord. No. 2013-12 §1, 4-8-2013]
A.
When not otherwise authorized by City ordinance, brush and grass in excess of eight (8) inches in height on any lot or ground in the City shall not be considered a nuisance pursuant to Section 220.020 of the Trenton City Code when the following conditions are met:
1.
Such lot or ground is one (1) acre or larger; and
2.
Such lot or ground is used for the agricultural purposes of grazing
livestock or the growing and harvesting of such growth for hay or
forage for livestock; and
3.
A buffer of five (5) feet is kept at a height of eight (8) inches
or less where such lot or ground borders a private residential property
or a City street; and
4.
A written permit therefore setting forth any special condition has
been granted by the City Administrator or his/her designated representatives.
