(a) The director may abate any nuisance without following the abatement procedures of this article if the nuisance presents an immediate threat to the health, safety or welfare of any inhabitant of the city.

    (b) The director may assess the cost, including administrative costs, of abating a nuisance under this section against the property on which the nuisance was located.  Before assessing costs, the director shall serve a bill of costs on the property owner.  The bill of costs shall describe the nuisance that was abated, state the cost of abatement and inform the owner of the right and manner of requesting a hearing.

    (c) The bill of costs shall be served on the property owner by first class mail, or by personal service in the same manner as legal process is served under any Missouri statute or court rule. Mailed notice shall be presumed received three (3) days after it is mailed.  If service is not able to be obtained by either of the above methods, service may be obtained by publishing notice of the bill of costs in a newspaper of general circulation in the city.

    (d) The property owner may contest the assessment of costs by requesting a hearing.  The request for hearing must be made in writing and received by the director within seven (7) days of service of the bill of costs or publication of notice of the bill of costs.  The request for hearing must be either hand-delivered to the office of the director or sent to the director by United States mail, facsimile machine or electronic mail.  The request for hearing must state an address to which a notice of hearing may be sent.

    (e) Notice of hearing.  At least ten (10) days written notice of the hearing shall be given to the property owner.  Notice shall be hand-delivered to the property owner or mailed to the address provided by the property owner in the request for hearing. Notice shall be presumed received three (3) days after it is mailed.

    (f) Hearing and decision.  The hearing officer shall conduct the hearing and enter a decision in accordance with the requirements of chapter 536, RSMo.  If the hearing officer determines that the abatement was justified under subsection (a), the hearing officer shall certify the cost of abatement to the city clerk for collection pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 11-242.

    (g) Appeal.  An appeal from the decision of the hearing officer may be made to the circuit court of Boone County in accordance with chapter 536, RSMo.

(Ord. No. 16982, § 2, 8-6 -01)