[R.O. 2004 § 220.150; Ord. No. 9.37 §§ 1 — 3, 5-27-2008]
A. Failure To Keep Weeds, High Grass And Other
Vegetation Cut And Removed, A Nuisance. All persons owning or occupying
any lot or tract of land in the City shall keep the weeds, high grass
and other vegetation growing on such property cut and removed. Whenever
such weeds, high grass or other vegetation shall attain the height
of twelve (12) inches, it shall be deemed a public nuisance.
B. Unlawful To Maintain Such Nuisance. It shall be unlawful for any person to create or maintain a nuisance as defined in Subsection
(A). Each day that a nuisance shall be maintained is a separate offense.
C. Liability. Whenever weeds, high grass or other vegetation in violation of Subsection
(A) of this Section are allowed to 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. Procedure To Abate Nuisance. Whether or not a party described in Subsection
(C) of this Section is or has been issued a citation for maintaining a nuisance, the City may proceed as follows to abate the nuisance:
1.
Notice. The City Administrator shall
give a hearing after ten (10) days' notice thereof either personally
or by United States mail to the owner or owners, or his/her or their
agents, or by posting such notice on the premises; thereupon, the
City Administrator may declare the weeds, high grass or other vegetation
to be a nuisance and order the same to be abated within five (5) days.
2.
Disposition. In case the weeds, high
grass or other vegetation are not cut down and removed within the
five (5) days, the City Administrator shall have the weeds, high grass
or other vegetation cut down and removed and shall certify the costs
of same to the City Clerk.
3.
Tax Bill. The City Clerk shall cause
a special tax bill therefor against the property to be prepared and
to be collected by the Collector with other taxes assessed against
the property; and the tax bill from the date of its issuance shall
be a first lien on the property until paid and shall be prima facie
evidence of the recitals therein and of its validity, and no mere
clerical error or informality in the same, or in the proceedings leading
up to the issuance, shall be a defense thereto. Each special tax bill
shall be issued by the City Clerk and delivered to the Collector on
or before the first day of June of each year. Such tax bills if not
paid when due shall bear interest at the rate of eight percent (8%)
per annum.