[R.O. 2016 § 220.180; Ord. No. 288-99 § 1, 8-10-2000; Ord. No. 319-00 §§ 1 — 2, 6-13-2000; Ord. No. 390-01 §§ 1 — 2, 11-13-2001; Ord. No. 757-07 § 1, 11-13-2007; Ord. No. 837-09 § 1, 5-12-2009; Ord. No. 960-11 § 1, 5-10-2011; Ord. No. 1135-15 § 1, 9-8-2015; Ord. No. 1241-18, 3-27-2018; Ord. No. 1247-18, 5-8-2018; Ord. No. 1292-19, 4-9-2019]
A. 
Maintenance Of Private Property, Public Rights-Of-Way And Easements. All persons owning, occupying or leasing any lot or tract of land within the City limits shall keep all weeds, grass and brush growing on such property cut and removed. They shall likewise keep cut and removed all weeds, grass and brush growing in any areas between their property line and the center line of all improved or unimproved streets or alleys, including, but not limited to, drainage ditches, curbs, easements or other public rights-of-way of the City of Park Hills or other public entity. Whenever such weeds, grass or brush shall attain the height of seven (7) inches, it shall be deemed a public nuisance.
B. 
Unlawful To Maintain Such Nuisance. It shall be unlawful for any person owning, occupying or leasing any lot or tract of land within the City limits to create, maintain or allow a nuisance as defined in Subsection (A) to remain on the property five (5) days after the order to abate the nuisance under Subsection (D)(1) is posted on the property. The offense of unlawfully creating, maintaining or allowing a nuisance as provided herein shall be punished as provided in Section 220.190 of the Municipal Code.
C. 
Liability. Whenever any weeds, grass or brush in violation of Subsection (A) are allowed to grow on any part of any lot or tract of land within the City limits, the owner, occupant and lessee of the lot or tract shall be personally liable. Said liability shall be joint and severable. In cases where the growth is located on property held by joint tenancy, tenancy by entireties or tenancy in common, each owner thereof shall be jointly and severally liable.
D. 
Notice And Hearing.
1. 
Whenever any weeds, grass or brush shall attain the height of seven (7) inches, the Director of Community Development is authorized to hold a hearing to determine whether or not the weeds, grass or brush are a nuisance and whether same should be ordered abated. Said hearing shall occur no sooner than ten (10) days after the date notice of the hearing is posted on the property. By the end of the next business day after the property is posted, notice shall also be hand-delivered or mailed to the owner of the property. A copy of the notice shall also be hand-delivered or mailed to the occupant or lessee of the property, if there be one. After conducting the hearing, the Director may enter a written order declaring the weeds, grass and/or brush to be a nuisance and directing the same to be abated within five (5) days from the date of the order. By the end of the next business day after the date of the order, notice of said order shall be posted on the property and shall also be hand-delivered or mailed to the owner of the property and to the occupant or lessee, if there be one.
2. 
Subsequent Violations, Same Growing Season. If weeds, grass or brush are allowed to grow on the same property in violation of this Section more than once during the same growing season, the Director of Community Development may, without further notification, have the weeds, grass or brush removed, and the cost of same shall be billed in the manner described in this Section.
E. 
Abatement. If the nuisance is not abated within five (5) days of the date of the written order declaring the weeds, grass and/or brush to be a nuisance and directing the same to be abated, the Director shall cause the weeds, grass and/or brush to be cut down and removed and shall certify the costs of the cutting down and removing of said weeds, grass and/or brush to the City Clerk.
F. 
Special Tax Bill. The City Clerk shall cause a special tax bill to be prepared and collected by the Collector with other taxes assessed against the property and the tax bill from the date of its issuance shall be a first lien on the property until paid and shall be prima facie evidence of the recitals therein and of its validity, and no mere clerical error or informality in the same, or in the proceedings leading up to the issuance, shall be a defense thereto. Each special tax bill shall be issued by the City Clerk and delivered to the Collector on or before the first day of June of each year. Such tax bill, if not paid when due, shall bear interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum.