8.08.060 Investigation and notice of violation.
A. Investigation. The enforcement officer shall investigate the premises which he/she reasonably believes does not comply with the standards and requirements of this chapter.
B. Notice of Violation. If, after investigation, the enforcement officer determines that the standards or requirements of this chapter have been violated, the enforcement officer shall serve a notice of violation upon the property owner, tenant, vehicle owner, or other person responsible for the condition. The notice of violation shall contain the following information:
1. Name and address of the person(s) to whom the citation is issued;
2. The location of the subject property by address or other description sufficient for identification of the subject property;
3. A description of the vehicle and its location;
4. A separate statement of each standard, code provision or requirement violated, and the reasons for which the city deems the junk vehicle(s) to be a public nuisance in violation of this chapter;
5. What corrective action, if any, is necessary to comply with the standards, code provisions or requirements;
6. A reasonable time for compliance;
7. A statement that if the person(s) to whom the notice of violation is issued fails to complete the corrective action by the date required, the city or its designee shall remove, impound and dispose of the vehicle, and will assess all costs of administration and removal against the owner of the property upon which the vehicle is located or otherwise attempt to collect such costs against the owner of the vehicle;
8. A statement that the owner of the land on which the vehicle is located may appear in person at the hearing and present a written statement in time for consideration at the hearing, and deny responsibility for the presence of the junk vehicle on the land, with his/her reasons for denial.
C. Service. The notice shall be served on the owner, tenant, vehicle owner or other person responsible for the condition by personal service, registered mail, or certified mail with return receipt requested, addressed to the last known address of such person. If, after a reasonable search and reasonable efforts are made to obtain service, the whereabouts of the person(s) is unknown or service cannot be accomplished and the enforcement officer makes an affidavit to that effect, then service of the notice upon such person(s) may be made by:
1. Publishing the notice once each week for two consecutive weeks in the city’s official newspaper; and
2. Mailing a copy of the notice to each person named on the notice of violation by first class mail to the last known address as shown on the official Pierce County assessor’s parcel data, or if unknown, to the address of the property involved in the proceedings.
D. Posting. A copy of the notice shall be posted at a conspicuous place on the property, unless posting the notice is not physically possible.
E. Amendment. A notice or order may be amended at any time in order to:
1. Correct clerical errors; or
2. Cite additional authority for a stated violation.
F. Withdrawal. The city may choose to withdraw a notice of violation at any time, without prejudice to the city’s ability to reissue it, if a certificate of compliance has not been obtained for the specific violations. (Ord. 1126 § 2, 2008).