Lawns and gardens within non-agricultural areas in the City shall be maintained in accordance with this chapter. All yards and gardens shall be kept free of noxious weeds. All lawn grasses shall be kept mowed or trimmed so that they do not exceed six inches in height from ground level to blade tip.

In the event a complaint is received or a violation of the standards set forth above is otherwise brought to the attention of the Police Chief or their designee, the same shall be abated in the following manner:

1.   The Police Chief or their designee shall notify in writing the owner or occupant of the premises of the specific violation of the standards set forth above. The notice may be posted on the owner or occupant’s premises.

2.   The owner or occupant shall have 24 hours following the delivery of such notice to correct the violation of the standards set forth in that notice.

3.   After 24 hours, or at any time thereafter, the City may order the necessary work done, including lawn mowing or other removal of items that are in violation of the standards set forth in this chapter. These actions may be taken by the City itself through City employees, or done by a third party at the order of the City. The cost of such action (minimum of $200.00) will be billed to the property owner, and, if left unpaid after 30 days from the notice date, shall be certified as a special assessment upon the real property in the form of a property tax assessment.

4.   Beginning with the second time a party is provided notice to abate a lawn or weed nuisance, and continuing each subsequent time such notice is provided thereafter within a calendar year of the first such notice, an additional $50.00 fee shall be assessed to the party for the costs of posting/sending each subsequent notice, regardless of whether the party abates the nuisance within the 24-hour time frame or not. Such fee shall be treated in the same manner as the costs of abating the nuisance.

5.   For properties classified as a “vacant lot” with no physical habitable structure and those properties with habitable structures but deemed “vacant,” there will be a one-time notice to abate the nuisance within 7 days from the date of the notice mailed by certified mail to the property owner of record. Failure of the property owner to abate the current nuisance, and any subsequent violations without notice in the calendar year, will be billed for the costs to abate the nuisance (minimum of $200.00). If left unpaid after 30 days from the notice date, shall be certified as a special assessment upon the real property in the form of a property tax assessment.