They represent a degree of danger to life and property due to the use and storage of flammable and combustible liquids or the hazardous accumulation of vapors in underground tanks and other containers after such liquids are removed.

By their very nature they are traditionally located at prominent locations at major intersections and, therefore, are uniquely conspicuous and subject to vandalism when abandoned.

They have distinctive physical appearance which often cannot be easily or inexpensively adapted to other uses.

Abandoned service stations, the underground storage tanks of which have been safeguarded or removed, often are not thereafter used as service stations due to the cost of replacing such tanks or restoring them to serviceable condition.

The unenclosed characteristic of service stations invite vandalism, arson, and other fire hazards.

The street address and a legal description sufficient for identification of the premises on which the service station is located.

A statement that the director of community development has discovered conditions, and a description of such conditions, indicating that the service station may have been abandoned.

A statement of the date, time, and place of a hearing before the planning commission at which any interested person may appear to offer any relevant evidence and at the conclusion of which the planning commission shall decide whether or not the service station has been abandoned.

A statement advising that, if the planning commission decides that the service station is abandoned, the planning commission shall order that the public nuisance be abated within a period of time, not less than 60 days nor more than 180 days, as the planning commission deems reasonable, commencing upon service of the planning commission's written findings of fact, decision, and order of those persons identified in section 33-832 of this article. The public nuisance shall be abated by any of the following means:

A statement advising that, if the service station is deemed a nuisance and if such nuisance is not abated within the time stipulated, it will be abated by the city and the cost of abatement will be assessed on the land from which such nuisance is removed and will constitute a lien on such land until paid.

A statement advising that the planning commission's determination is final unless judicial review is sought in accordance with section 33-839 of this article.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the planning commission shall consider the evidence presented and shall make written findings of fact, based on the evidence, to support its decision and order.

The planning commission shall decide whether or not the service station is abandoned.

If the planning commission decides that the service station is abandoned, it shall order that the public nuisance be abated within a period of time, not less than 60 days nor more than 180 days, as the planning commission deems reasonable, commencing upon service of the planning commission's findings, decision, an order on those persons identified in section 33-832 of this article. The planning commission shall advise further that the public nuisance may be abated by any of the following means:

If the public nuisance is not abated pursuant to the planning commission's decision and order, in addition to any other lawful procedure authorized by this code, the director of community development shall enforce such decision and order in the following manner.

The director of community development shall issue an order to the director of public works to accomplish the following work: removal of all buildings or structures, safeguarding or removing of any flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks, and cleaning of the site, all pursuant to applicable provisions of this code.

The cost of the work shall be paid from the abandoned service station fund, a special revolving fund which is hereby established. Payment shall be made out of such fund upon demand of the director of public works to defray the cost and expenses which may be incurred by the city in causing the necessary work to abate the nuisance of an abandoned service station.

The city council may at any time transfer to the abandoned service station fund, out of any money in the general fund of the city such sums as it may deem necessary in order to expedite the performance of the work to abate the nuisance of an abandoned service station, and any sum so transferred shall be deemed a loan to such fund and shall be repaid out of the proceeds of the assessments hereinafter provided for in this article. All funds collected under the proceedings hereinafter provided for, either upon voluntary payments or as a result of the sale of property after delinquency, shall be paid when collected to the finance director, who shall place the same in the abandoned service station fund.

The director of public works shall keep an itemized account of the net expense incurred by the city in the work to abate the nuisance of an abandoned service station. Upon completion of such work, the director of public works shall prepare and file with the city clerk a report specifying the work done, the itemized net cost of the work, a description of the real property upon which the service station is or was located, the names and addresses of the persons entitled to notice pursuant to section 33-831 of this article and the amount of the assessment against each lot or parcel of land proposed to be levied to pay the cost of the work. Any such report may include or on any number of buildings or structures on any number of parcels of property, whether or not contiguous to each other.

Upon receipt of the report of the director of public works, the clerk shall fix time and place, when and where the council will hear and pass upon the report. The clerk shall cause notice of the proposed assessment, as shown in the report, to be given in the manner and to the persons specified in section 33-832 of this article. Such notice shall contain a description of the property sufficient to enable the persons served to identify it, and shall specify the day, hour, and place when the council will hear and pass upon the report, together with any objections or protests, if any, which may be raised by any property owner liable to be assessed for the cost of such work, and any other interested persons. Such notice of the hearing shall be so given not less than 15 days prior to the time fixed by the clerk for the hearing, and shall also be published one time, at least 15 days prior to the date of hearing, in a daily newspaper published and circulated in the city.

Any interested person may file a written protest with the city clerk at any time prior to the time set for the hearing on the report of the director of public works. Each such protest shall contain a description of the property in which the person signing the protest is interested and the grounds of such protest. The city clerk shall endorse on every such protest the date and time of filing and shall present such protest to the council at the time set for the hearing.

Upon the day and hour fixed for the hearing the council shall consider the report of the director of public works, together with any protests which have been filed with the city clerk as hereinabove provided. The council may make such revision, correction or modification in the report as it may deem just, and when the council is satisfied with the correctness of the assessment, the report and proposed assessment, as submitted or as revised, corrected or modified, shall be confirmed. The decision of the council on the report and the assessment and on all protests shall be final and conclusive. The council may adjourn the hearing from time to time.

The validity of any assessment levied under the provisions of this section shall not be contested in any action or proceeding unless such action or proceeding is commenced within 30 days after the assessment is confirmed by the council.

Immediately upon the confirmation of the assessment by the council, the director of community development shall file in the office of the county recorder of San Diego County a certificate in substantially the following form:

Immediately upon the recording of the notice of lien the assessment shall constitute a lien on the real property assessed. Such lien shall enjoy the same priority as a lien for state, county and city taxes.

No service station shall be converted to any other use unless such conversion is expressly authorized by a conditional use permit issued pursuant to Division 1 of Article 61 of this chapter.

A conditional use permit authorizing the conversion of a service station to any other use shall be subject to the following: