[Adopted 2-9-2016 by Ord. No. 3-2016]
All premises and the exterior of properties shall be maintained free from weeds or lawn growth in excess of 10 inches, except that this requirement shall not apply to areas of cultivated gardens and plants, such as English gardens, and areas of natural growth that are not ordinarily maintained, such as, without limitation, areas containing wetlands or marshes, or densely wooded areas. All noxious weeds shall be prohibited.
A. 
The Code Enforcement Officer is hereby designated as the enforcement officer for this article. The Code Enforcement Officer shall have the power to make periodic inspections within the City in order to ascertain when and where there exist conditions which constitute conditions violative of this article and/or which adversely impact the public health, safety and welfare and/or are injurious to the public health and safety. Where such a condition is found to exist, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner or occupant of the lands to abate such condition within 10 days from the date of the notice. Any such notice may be served personally upon the owner, occupant, tenant, agent of owner or tenant of the land upon which said condition exists or, if such person cannot be personally served within the City of Northfield, may be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address of the current owner as set forth in the tax records of the City of Northfield. Notice to the tenant, agent or occupier shall be constructive notice to the owner.
B. 
A violation that is recurring justifies imposition of an immediate penalty without the necessity for an interval time period in which correction can be made. A violation shall be deemed to be a recurring violation if the notice has been served within two years from the date that a previous notice was served and the violation, premises and responsible party are substantially the same.
In the event of the failure of the owner or person so notified to abate the condition within 10 days from the date of the notices aforesaid, the City Council may cause the removal or abatement of such condition or conditions, and in such case, the office in charge of removal or abatement shall certify, in writing, to City Council the cost thereof, which cost, if found correct, shall be charged against said land, and the amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon said land and shall be assessed and levied upon said land and shall bear interest of the same rate as taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officer in the same manner as taxes. Said notice of lien shall be filed with the Municipal Tax Collector of the City of Northfield.
[Amended 5-30-2017 by Ord. No. 6-2017]
In the event of the failure of the owner of said land to remove or abate such condition existing thereon within the time required after the service of the notice hereinbefore mentioned, and in addition to the remedies hereinbefore provided, such person shall be in violation of this article. Penalties for violations shall be imposed against an owner of said land as follows: a fine of up to $250 for a first offense; a fine of up to $500 for a second offense; and a fine of up to $2,000 for a third offense. For the fourth offense and each subsequent offense thereafter, the owner shall appear in Municipal Court and, upon conviction thereof by the Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Northfield, shall be punished by a maximum fine not to exceed $2,000 per occurrence and/or, in the discretion of the Court, imprisonment in such a place as is maintained for offenders in the City of Northfield for a period not to exceed 30 days. Each day during which the violation continues after notice shall be considered as a separate offense.