City officials must notify the property owner and order nuisance abatement, and the owner may request a hearing or appeal within set deadlines.
(a) Whenever in the opinion of the city official or any other city employee designated by the city manager, a nuisance exists, the official shall order the owner of the property on which the nuisance is located to abate the condition. (b) The enforcing official shall give the owner written notice in person or by first class mail. The notice shall apprise the owner of the facts of the alleged nuisance and require the condition be abated within the time stated in the notice or to request a hearing before an administrative official of the city designated by the city manager, to determine whether there has been a violation. (c) The notice shall be sent to that person shown by the records of the county to have been the last person assessed for payment of ad valorem tax on the property where the nuisance is situated. It shall be the responsibility of that person to promptly advise the enforcing official of a change of ownership or interest in the property. (d) The notice shall also be posted in a conspicuous place on the property. (e) The notice shall require the owner to complete abatement of the nuisance within 14 days from the date of notice, provided the enforcing official may stipulate additional time, but in no case more than 28 days. (f) A property owner shall have five days in which to request a hearing before the administrative official to appeal the determination of the enforcing official. After the hearing, the enforcing official shall notify the owner by personal service or by first class mail of the determination of the administrative official. If the administrative official determines that a nuisance exists, the owner shall comply with the initial order to abate issued by the enforcing official, with modifications as may be made by the administrative official. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the administrative official at the hearing, within 10 days, may appeal to the circuit court upon filing with the clerk of the court notice of the appeal and bond for security of costs in the form and amount to be approved by the circuit clerk. Upon filing of the notice of appeal and approval of the bond, the clerk of the court shall serve a copy of the notice of appeal on the clerk of the municipality and the appeal shall be docketed in the court and shall be a preferred case therein. The clerk of the municipality, upon receiving the notice, shall file with the clerk of the court a copy of the findings and determination of the administrative official in its proceedings. Any trials shall be held without jury upon the determination of the administrative official that the weeds are a public nuisance.