5703-94 ORDINANCE NO. 5703-94
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CLEARWATER, FLL�?1DA$
RELA;TIN(; TO CODE 'ENFORCEMENT; AMENDING SECTIONS 2.213,
2.21`8, ?:219, AND 2.220, CODE OF ORDINANCES, PROVIDING
FOR 1HE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT
BOARD;! PROCEDURES AND FINES IN CASES OF REPEAT
VIOLATIONS OR SERIOUS THREATS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH,
SAFETY! WELFARE; AND THE RECOVERY BY THE CITY OF THE
COSTS Of PROSECUTION, THE ;COSTS OF MAKING REPAIRS; THE
COSTS OF RECORDING AND SATISFYING VALID LIENS, AND. THE
COSTS 1OF LIEN FORECLOSURE, INCLUDING ATTORNEY' S FEES
REPFAL'1NG SECTION 2.216; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, thelFlorida Legislature has enacted Senate'Biil 304, modifying the
provisions of t'hel Liocal Government;Code Enforcement Boards Act (§§ 16'2.01-162. 13,
Florida Statutes) ,1 and the City Commission; desires to amend the corresponding
provisions of <tihe! 'City '` Code in 'order 'to implement the 1994 amendmE 'nts and
l i Sri Hate conf l i c t;s with the enabling statute; now there f ore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CIIYi OF C
CLEARWATIIER, FLORIDA:
Section 1 .1 Sections 2.213, 2.218, 2;219, and 2,220, Code of Ordinances,
are amended to read:
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Sec. �.213. A �
(1) 'Appointmdents to the code enforcement board shall be made by the city
'commission on the basis of experience or interest in .the subject' matter
jurisdiction ofthe board, i`n the sole discretion of the city commission. The
membership of ;each board shall , whenever possible include an architect,` a
businessman, an ,en'gineer, a general contractor, a subcontractor, and a realtor.
Sec 2.218. (Enforcement procedure.
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(1 ) It sha1;1 be the duty of the code inspector to initiate enforcement:
proceedings with respect to each 'code or ordinance.
(2) Where the code inspector finds or is, made aware of a code violation,
the code inspector shall notify the violator and such notice shall provide a
reasonable time. ,to correct the violation. Should the violation continue beyond
the time specified
- in the notice, the code inspector shall notify 'the code
enforcement board and request a hearing. The code enforcement board, through its
clerical staff, shall schedule a' hearing, and written notice . of such hearing
shiall be hand >dellk,ered or mailed as provided herein +4,;r �';.�;�i- -�1�
. If the violation is corrected and then recurs or' if the violation is
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er correction bV the code inspe��tor, the corrected b v fh� time speci
case mad �� iie presented to the enforcement board even if th? Violation has
been corrected prior to the board hearing at which the :recurring violation is
scheduled to be heard. The notice of the hearing a -s, state that the case
shall he presented to the board even if the violation is corrected butllrecurs
prior to the hearinr date.
(3) if a repeat violation its found, the code inspector shall notlify the
violator, but is not required to give the violator a reasonable; -time to core ",
the violation and u,�ay nmediately issue a ,citation. The code inspector, upon
notifying the violator of a repeat violation and issuing a citation, shall) notify
the board and request a hearings The board, through its clerical staff), shall.
schedule a hearing and shall provide notice as pa^dvided herein
the _V . The case may be presented to the board ever, if the 'repeat
violation has been corrected prior to the board hearing, and the notice slhall so
state.
(4) If the code inspector has reason to believe a violation or the
condition causini the violation presents a serious threat to the public health,
safety and welfare, or if the violation is irreparable or irreversible in Nd t,�aar�e�
the code inspector, shal l make a reasonable effort to notify;, the violator may
immediately notify the enforcement board and request a nearing.
All not,iCes required to be provided herein to 'the alleged vLmi or
shall be mad.- as` prov_rded ' in § 162.12, F.S. as the same may be amended fr ne
to' time.
Sec. 2.219.1 Heiarings.
( ) Each case before the board shall be presented on behalf of tlhe c i tv
either by the city attorney or his assistant or by a member , of tt city
administrative staff:. If the city prevails in prosecuting a case before the
board, the _city shall be entitled to recover all costs incurred in prosicutin
the case before the beard'.
(6). At the ;conclusion of each hearing the board shall issue findings of
fact, based on evidence of record, and conclusions of law, and its order shall
provide relief consistent with section 2.217. Each finding shall be by motion
approved by a majority of those members present and voting. In order 'for an
action to be official , at least four members of the board must vote 1,�or the
action. The order M:ay include a notice that it must be complied with by ' a
specified bate, ; and that a fine may be imposed and, under the conditions
s `ep cif ied in section 2.220, the cost of repairs may be included alone w'' th the
fine if the' order. is riot complied with by such date.
Sec. 2.220. Fine, costs of repair, lien and foreclosure.
(`1 ) Upon being; notified by the code inspector that an order issued by the
enforcement board has not been complied with within the time established in such
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order or ,upon finding that a e-epeat violation has been committed, the tic���rd may
order t'hie violator to pay a fine to the city in an .mount specified iio this
section for each day t ie v iolation continues past the compliance date established
i n its order or,,, i n t1ie ease of a repeat �r io 1 a t i on, for each clay the r.PpeaIt.
violation continues b ainnina with the date the repeat violation ,s io9und to
have occurred by thy, `code inspectors $b!e�,Jli n addition , if the violation is:.. a violation deserin
section 2<2t 14) , the board shall notify the city commission , which Tmake, a1T
reasonable repairs; which are requ i r°ed to br i nq the Property into comp l i anlce a_no
charoe the violator i4ith the reasonable cost of the repairs alonq with the fine
°osed pursuant to the section: If a finding of a violation or repeat vio7tion
has been made as prow i ded in this division, a hearing shall not be neces sairy for
issuance of the order; imposing the fine
Ari fine the board imposes pursuant to this s tion hall not 'exceed
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X250.00 per day for a first violation or $500.00 per day for a repeat violation,
and the 'board may subsE!quently reduce any such fire so ,imposed. In addition a
fine may include al 11 costs of repairs pursuant to! subsection (1) .
(3) A certified copy of an order imposing a fine maybe recorded in the
public records of the county, and thereafter such order shall constitute a lien
against the land :on which the violation exists and :upon any other real or
personal property owr'�ed by the violator. Upon petition to the circuit court, such
order may be enforced` in the same manner as a court judgment by the sheriffs of
this state, including levy against the personal property, but such orderll shall
not be deemed to be ,a ajudgment of a court except for enforcement purposes.
(4) A fine imposed pursuant to this section shall continue to accruel until
the violator comes into compliance or until judgment is rendered in, a shit to
foreclose on a lien filed pursuant to this 'section, whichever occurs first.
I51 A ten arising from a fine imposed pursuant to 'this section runs. in
fa orpof t;ie cittconimjssi`on , and the city commission ma+execute a satisfaction
or 'release of 1 i en entered Dur'suant to this section.
u Three months from the filing of any such lien which remains 6npa i d',
the enforcement board may authorize the city ;`attorney to foreclose on such lien
in the manner provided by statute for the foreclosure of other municipal liens'.
No lien 'created pursuant to the provisions of this section may be foreclosed on
real property which is a homestead under the state constitution, art. X,1 § 4.
r7 l Ao lien provided under the Local Government Code Enforcement Boards
Act shall continue fcLr,_a period' longer than 20 years after the certified copy of
an order im osing a fine has been recorded unless within that time an ac-t'Jon to
foreclose on the lien Js, commenced 'in a court of competent Jurisdiction.-', In an
action to foreclose on ,a lien the prevailinq party is entitled to recover all
costs , includir a reasonable attorrn�ey° s fee, ',.hat- i,- incurs in the foreclosure.
The city c oipmission shall be entitled to collect all costs incurred in reclordinq
and sati sfvi'no a_ valid lien. The continuation of the lien effected the
comee ,ceff ient of the action shall not be good a �,J st creditors or subsftcluent
o�rd�g ase s for valuable consideration without notice, unless a notice of ! is
cad ns is recorded
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Section 2. Seciio, 2.216, Code of Ordinances, is hereby repealed
Se tac This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
'PASSE CN TIRST {PEA1),1NG December ?§' 1994
PASSED C SECC d A; I FINAL READING
AND ATE Javar 'S, 1.99 51
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Pisa Garvey
Mayor-Commissioner
Attest
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Cyn is E. Goudeau
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City` Clerk
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Approved as to form and
legal suf ici ney.
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Al S. Zim e
Interim Cit' ttorney
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