REMOVAL OF WEEDS AND RANK VEGETATION

Pursuant to Ordinance No. 0-0-0026, it shall be unlawful for any person to permit, suffer or allow any thistles, weeds, brush, undergrowth, or vegetation of any kind whatsoever to be, remain, or grow to a height above six (6) inches from the ground of any lots, parcels, or tracts of land within the City.  It shall be the duty of any person owning, leasing, or controlling any lots, tracts, or parcels of land within the City to cause the undergrowth to be removed there from before the growth reaches the height of six (6) inches. This provision shall not apply to trees, flowers, or cultivated plants.

The Building Commissioner and his deputies and/or designees are vested with the duty of inspecting the various properties in the City for violations set forth herein.  The inspectors are hereby charged, authorized and empowered to notify any person owning, leasing, or controlling property within the City to properly dispose of such weeds and undergrowth.  Such weeds and undergrowth shall constitute a public nuisance.

Upon the failure, neglect, or refusal of any persons owning, leasing, or controlling property to properly dispose of undergrowth, weeds, rank vegetation, or the like, within five (5) days after the date of notice, the Building Commissioner and his deputies and/or designees are authorized and empowered to proceed for penalties under this section or for abatement of a nuisance.  Such officer of the City may proceed to abate the nuisance of excessive weed growth by hiring out and paying for the removal of excessive growth or by ordering the removal of the excessive growth by the appropriate department of the City.

When the City has effected or paid for the removal of the nuisance weed growth, the actual costs thereof, plus accrued interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum from the date of completion of the work, plus an administrative charge of $100 per property per removal shall be assessed and charged to the person violating this ordinance. Such charges shall be paid by such person within ten (10) days of notice to the owner of the completion of the work and the costs thereof.  The charge shall be due and payable by the owner at the time for payment of the tax bill.  Upon non-payment of such costs by the property owner, the director of the office of the City Controller or his designee shall certify to the county auditor the amount of the bill plus accrued interest.  The auditor shall place the total amount certified on the tax duplicate for the property affected and the total amount, including any accrued interest shall be collected as delinquent taxes are collected and shall be dispersed to the unsafe building fund of the City.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the inspector as listed below at the Building Department office (391-8294).

Ernest Hagler, Building Commissioner