WEEDS, BRUSH & MOWING

ORDINANCE NO.  52 

 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ROLAND, IOWA, 2003 BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO WEEDS AND BRUSH, AND ADDING A NEW CHAPTER REQUIRING THE MOWING OF PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF ROLAND.

BE IT ENACTED by the City Council of the City of Roland, Iowa:

SECTION 1.  SECTION MODIFIED.  Section 50.02(9) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Roland, Iowa, 2003, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:

9.  Weeds, Brush.  Dense growth of all weeds, vines, brush or other vegetation in the City so as to constitute a health, safety or fire hazard.  Unless a variance is allowed by resolution of the council, weeds, brush, or other uncultivated plants, except trees, shall be cut, mowed and maintained so as to not exceed eight inches (8”) in height.

SECTION 2.  CHAPTER ADDED.  The Code of Ordinances of the City of Roland, Iowa, 2003, is amended by adding a new Chapter 152 entitled MOWING OF PROPERTIES, which is hereby adopted to read as follows:

152.01  MOWING OF PROPERTIES.  Any property within the City of Roland, whether vacated or non-vacated is required to be mowed any time the vegetation reaches a height of more than eight inches (8”) by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the month in May, June, July, August, September and October of each year.

152.02.  PENALTY.  Any property which is not mowed by the above dates may be mowed by the City or their agents, and a charge of $75.00 per hour, (with a minimum of one (1) hour, and any additional time over the first hour will be billed in half hour increments), for such mowing, plus a surcharge of $100.00, will be charged to the property owner.  Any property owner who fails to mow their property, thus allowing the same to be mowed by the City or their agents, and who do not provide payment for the mowing as required, will be assessed by the City for such costs, which will be collected in the same manner as general property taxes.

152.03.  METHOD OF SERVICE AND BILLING.  Annual publication of this ordinance will serve as notice to property owners.  Any billings for mowing done by the City or their agents are to be sent by regular mail and are payable within 30 days of the billing date.

SECTION 3.  SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.  If any section, provision or part of this ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional.

SECTION 4.  WHEN EFFECTIVE.  This ordinance shall be in effect from and after its final passage, approval and publication as provided by law.

Passed by the council the 22^nd day of May, 2006, and approved this 22^nd day of May, 200

Samuel Juhl, Mayor