Chapter 8.14
CHRONIC NUISANCE PROPERTIES – CRIMINAL OFFENSES
Sections:
8.14.030 Declaration of chronic nuisance property and procedure.
8.14.040 Correction agreement.
8.14.060 Commencement of action – Enforcement.
8.14.090 Suspension or revocation of business license.
8.14.100 Annual reporting required.
8.14.010 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the following words or phrases shall have the meaning prescribed below:
A. “Abate” means to repair, replace, remove, destroy, or otherwise remedy a condition which constitutes a violation of this chapter by such means and in such a manner and to such an extent as the chief of police determines is necessary in the interest of the general health, safety and welfare of the community.
B. “Chief of police” means the chief of the Zillah police department or his or her designees.
C. “Control” means the power or ability to direct or determine conditions, conduct, or events occurring on a property.
D. “Chronic nuisance property” means:
1. A property on which three or more nuisance activities as described in subsection (E) of this section exist or have occurred during any 60-day period or seven or more nuisance activities have occurred during any 12-month period; or
2. A property which, upon a request for execution of a search warrant, has been the subject of a determination by a court two or more times within a 12-month period that probable cause exists that illegal possession, manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance or related offenses as defined in Chapter 69.50 RCW has occurred on the property.
E. “Nuisance activity” includes:
1. A “most serious offense” as defined in Chapter 9.94A RCW;
2. A “drug-related activity” as defined in RCW 59.18.130;
3. Any of the following activities, behaviors or criminal conduct as defined by RCW or in ZMC Title 9 or 10 but not limited to the following:
a. Assault, fighting, harassment or reckless endangerment;
b. Promoting, advancing or profiting from prostitution;
c. Prostitution;
d. Permitting prostitution;
e. Obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic;
f. Public disturbance noise;
g. Weapons violations;
h. Drug traffic loitering and/or loitering for purposes of prostitution; and
i. Criminal-street-gang-related offense and/or pattern of criminal street gang activity.
F. “Owner” means any person who, alone or with others, has title or interest in any property.
G. “Person” means an individual, group of individuals, corporation, partnership, association, club, company, business trust, joint venture, organization, or any other legal or commercial entity or the manager, lessee, agent, officer or employee of any of them.
H. “Person in charge” of a property means the owner and, if different than the owner, any other person in actual or constructive possession of a property, including but not limited to a lessee, tenant, occupant, agent, or manager of a property under his or her control.
I. “Property” means any land and that which is affixed, incidental or appurtenant to land, including but not limited to any business or residence, parking area, loading area, landscaping, building or structure or any separate part, unit or portion thereof.
J. “RCW” means the Revised Code of Washington.
K. “ZMC” means the Zillah Municipal Code. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.020 Violation.
A. Any property within the city of Zillah which is a chronic nuisance property is in violation of this chapter and subject to its remedies;
B. Owners and other persons in charge who permit property to be a chronic nuisance property shall be in violation of this chapter and subject to its remedies; and
C. An owner who fails to comply with ZMC 8.14.035 is in violation of this chapter and may be subject to penalties pursuant to Chapter 5.04 ZMC. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.030 Declaration of chronic nuisance property and procedure.
A. The chief of police may declare that a property is a chronic nuisance property, as defined in this chapter, when there are specific facts and circumstances documenting (1) the occurrence of three or more nuisance activities on a property within 60 days or seven or more nuisance activities within a 12-month period, or (2) activity on a property as described in ZMC 8.14.010(D)(2). The chief of police shall provide written notice of this declaration to the persons in charge of the property. The notice shall be sent by first class mail or personally served, and a copy shall be sent by certified mail. The notice shall contain:
1. The street address or a legal description sufficient for identification of the property;
2. A declaration that the chief of police has determined the property has become a chronic nuisance property with a concise description of the nuisance activities that exist or that have occurred;
3. A notice that the owner and other persons in charge of the property are subject to monetary penalties as set forth in ZMC 8.14.050;
4. A demand that the owner and other persons in charge respond to the chief of police within seven days of service of the notice to discuss a course of action to correct the nuisance;
5. A notice that, if the person in charge does not respond to the chief of police as required in this section, or if the matter is not voluntarily corrected to the satisfaction of the chief of police, the city may file an action to abate the property as a chronic nuisance property pursuant to ZMC 8.14.060 and/or take other action against the property or person in charge.
B. When a notice is issued pursuant to this section to a person in charge, other than an owner or an owner’s agent, who has permitted a property to become a chronic nuisance property, a copy of such notice shall also be sent by first class mail or personally served on the owner of the property, and a copy shall be sent by certified mail.
C. If the owner or person in charge responds as required by the notice issued pursuant to subsection (A) of this section and agrees to a course of action to abate the nuisance activities, a written correction agreement conforming to the requirements of ZMC 8.14.040 shall be executed.
D. If (1) the agreed course of action does not result in the abatement of nuisance activities to the satisfaction of the chief of police within 30 days of issuance of the notice pursuant to subsection (A) of this section, or within such longer period as permitted in writing by the chief of police, or (2) the person in charge fails to respond as required by the notice, the chief of police may refer the matter to the city attorney for initiation of proceedings pursuant to ZMC 8.14.060. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.035 Owner cooperation.
An owner who receives a copy of a notice pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030(B) describing a chronic nuisance property permitted by a person in charge other than the owner or the owner’s agent shall promptly take all reasonable steps requested in writing by the chief of police to assist in abatement of the nuisance property. Such reasonable steps may include the owner taking all actions and pursuing all remedies, including pursuing eviction of the person in charge, that are (A) available to the owner pursuant to any lease or other agreement, and (B) consistent with state and local laws, including but not limited to RCW 59.18.580, the Victim Protection Limitation on Landlord’s Rental Decisions. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.040 Correction agreement.
A. A correction agreement is a contract between the city and the person in charge of the chronic nuisance property in which such person agrees to promptly take all lawful and reasonable actions, which shall be set forth in the agreement, to abate the nuisance activities within a specified time and according to specified conditions. The agreement shall be signed by the person in charge and, if different, the owner. The agreement shall include the following:
1. The name and address of the person(s) in charge of the property;
2. The street address or a description sufficient for identification of the property, building, structure, or land upon or within which the nuisance is occurring;
3. A description of the nuisance activities;
4. The necessary corrective action to be taken, and a date or time by which correction must be completed;
5. An agreement by the person in charge that the city may inspect the property as may be necessary to determine compliance with the correction agreement;
6. An agreement by the person in charge that the city may abate the nuisance and recover its costs, expenses and monetary penalties pursuant to this chapter from the person in charge for abating the nuisance if the terms of the correction agreement are not met; and
7. When a person in charge, other than an owner or an owner’s agent, has permitted a property to be a chronic nuisance property, an agreement by the owner to promptly take all acts and pursue all remedies requested by the chief of police pursuant to ZMC 8.14.035. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.050 Penalties.
A. Except as provided in this section, in addition to any other sanction or remedial procedure that may be available, the person in charge is subject to a penalty of up to $500.00 per day from the date of the notice issued pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030(A) until the chief of police confirms that the property is no longer a chronic nuisance property.
B. If the agreed course of action results in the abatement of nuisance activities to the satisfaction of the chief of police within 30 days of the notice issued pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030(A), or such longer period allowed by the chief of police pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030(D), the matter shall not be referred to the city attorney and the person in charge shall not be subject to any penalty pursuant to this chapter.
C. An owner who fails to comply with ZMC 8.14.035 is subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.060 Commencement of action – Enforcement.
Upon referral pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030, the city attorney may initiate an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to abate a chronic nuisance property, to impose penalties pursuant to this chapter, to seek alternative remedies under city or state laws and seek any other relief authorized by law. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.070 Burden of proof.
In an action against a person in charge to abate a chronic nuisance property or to recover penalties authorized by this chapter, the city shall have the burden of proof to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the property is a chronic nuisance property pursuant to this chapter.
In an action against an owner to recover penalties authorized by ZMC 8.14.050(C), the city shall have the additional burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the owner failed to comply with ZMC 8.14.035. Copies of police incident reports and reports of other city departments documenting nuisance activities shall be admissible in such actions. Additionally, evidence of a property’s general reputation and the reputation of persons residing in or frequenting the property shall be admissible in such actions. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.080 Remedies.
A. If the court determines a property is a chronic nuisance property pursuant to this chapter, the court may order any of the following: (1) order the person in charge to immediately abate nuisance activity from occurring on the property, (2) order that the chief of police shall have the right to inspect the property to determine if the court’s orders have been complied with, (3) impose a penalty of up to $500.00 per day against the person in charge for each day from the date the notice pursuant to ZMC 8.14.030(A) was issued until the chief of police confirms that the property is no longer a chronic nuisance property, (4) make any other order that will reasonably abate nuisance activities from occurring on the property, including authorizing the city to take action to abate nuisance activities from occurring upon the property if other court orders are not complied with or do not abate nuisance activity on the property and providing that the costs of such city action are to be paid for by the person in charge of the property.
B. If the court finds that an owner failed to take all reasonable steps requested in writing pursuant to ZMC 8.14.035, the court may impose a civil penalty up to $5,000. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.085 Additional remedies.
A. In addition to the remedies authorized by ZMC 8.14.080, if as part of its order abating a chronic nuisance property, the court orders a person in charge to cease renting or leasing a property, the court may order the person in charge to pay relocation assistance not to exceed $3,300 to any tenant (1) who must relocate because of the order of abatement, and (2) the court finds not to have caused or participated in nuisance activities at the property.
B. For purposes of this section, the term “tenant” shall have the meaning as set forth in RCW 59.18.030(8) or as it may be amended. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.090 Suspension or revocation of business license.
In addition to any other remedy that is authorized by this chapter or other laws, upon the finding by a court that a property is a chronic nuisance property pursuant to this chapter, the person in charge is subject to the suspension or revocation of a business license or other license issued by the city and required at such property, including but not limited to licenses issued pursuant to ZMC Title 5. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)
8.14.100 Annual reporting required.
The chief of police, with assistance of the city attorney, shall provide an annual report on the implementation of this chapter. The report shall list each instance in which the chief of police declared a property to be a chronic nuisance property and provided written notice to the persons in charge of the property. For each instance, the report shall describe:
A. The location and use of the property (i.e., whether residential or commercial, and if residential the number of units, and if commercial the size and nature of the commercial use).
B. The nuisance activities on which the declaration was based.
C. The administrative and legal process resulting from the notice, including:
1. Whether the notice resulted in a written correction agreement;
2. Whether the notice resulted in the abatement of nuisance activities to the satisfaction of the chief of police; and, if not
3. Whether the chief of police referred the matter to the city attorney for initiation of proceedings; and, if so
4. Whether the city attorney initiated proceedings; and, if so
5. Whether a court determined the property to be a chronic nuisance property; and, if so
6. What orders the court made, including penalties, other orders to abate the nuisance activities, or relocation assistance to tenants; and
7. Whether the city revoked any business licenses on the property.
D. A summary of the consequences of the declaration to date, including actions taken by persons in charge to abate the nuisance activities, whether these included the eviction of tenants, and whether the nuisance activities appear to be permanently abated.
The report shall also include brief assessments by the chief of police and the city attorney on the overall effectiveness of this chapter in reducing the problems resulting from chronic nuisance properties – criminal offenses.
The chief of police and city attorney shall provide the report to the city council in February of each year on the chronic nuisance property declarations in the prior calendar year. Any declarations not fully resolved by the end of the calendar year shall be described again in the following year’s report. (Ord. 1465 § 1, 2018)