§ 1.10.020. Nuisance abatement cost recovery.

The city is entitled to recover all costs, expenses, fines, fees, and attorneys' fees incurred related to any nuisance abatement or code enforcement activity ("nuisance costs"). For purposes of this chapter, "nuisance abatement activity" includes any action by the city intended to cause or compel compliance with any provision of this code, any adopted codes, or any applicable State or federal laws, such as any code enforcement activity, nuisance abatement activity, city staff activity, legal actions, administrative actions, criminal actions, civil actions, or rehabilitative efforts. For purposes of this chapter, nuisance costs include, but are not limited to, administrative fines, administrative expenses, administrative overhead, city staff time, city variable and fixed expenses, inspection costs, investigation costs, enforcement costs, abatement costs, litigation costs and fees, prosecution costs and fees, attorneys' costs and fees, cost recovery expenses, and collection costs.

Any final administrative, criminal, or civil action determining responsibility for the existence of a code violation shall constitute conclusive evidence of the city's right to recover its nuisance costs from the identified responsible party. For purposes of this chapter, "final administrative, criminal, or civil actions" include, but are not limited to, administrative notices after all appeals have been exhausted or the appeal period has expired, administrative citations after all appeals have been exhausted or the appeal period has expired, administrative hearing decisions, criminal convictions, and civil orders and judgments.

(Ord. No. 1078, § 1, 9-9-15; Ord. No. 1098, § 3, 12-14-16)