20-3
ISSUANCE OF ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION, FINES:

a.    Any person who violates any provision of this code or regulation of the city, any condition of approval of a permit or entitlement, any conditions of an environmental review, or any term or condition of any city agreement made pursuant to the city’s police power and regulatory authority may be issued an administrative citation by an enforcement officer as provided in this chapter. A violation of this code includes, but is not limited to, all imposed by any entitlement, permit, and city agreement or environmental review issued or approved pursuant to this code.

b.    Each and every day that a violation of this code, permit and/or entitlement exists constitutes a separate and distinct offense. A separate citation may be issued for each day a violation occurs.

c.    A civil fine shall be assessed by means of an administrative citation issued by the enforcement officer and shall be payable directly to the city of Lynwood.

d.    Fines shall be assessed in the amounts set forth in this chapter, or as alternatively specified by resolution of the city council. In no event, however, may the base fine imposed exceed the following limits:

1.    Where the violation would otherwise be an infraction, the administrative fine or penalty shall not exceed:

(a)    Two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the first violation.

(b)    Five hundred dollars ($500.00) for a second violation of the same ordinance or permit within a twelve (12) month period from the date of the first violation; or one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for a second violation of the same building and safety ordinance or permit within a twelve (12) month period from the date of the first building and safety violation.

(c)    One thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the third and subsequent violations of the same ordinance or permit within a twelve (12) month period from the date of the first violation.

2.    Where the violation would otherwise be a misdemeanor, the administrative fine or penalty shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).

e.    A second or subsequent violation need only be of the same ordinance, term or condition to require the larger fine, and need not involve the same personnel or property, provided that the same responsible person is cited. The fine amounts shall be cumulative where multiple citations are issued.

f.    If the violation pertains to building, plumbing, electrical, or other similar structural or zoning issues that do not create an immediate danger to health and safety, then the responsible person shall be issued a warning only on the first violation. The warning will advise the responsible person of the nature of the violation and the date by which the violation must be corrected. The responsible person will be given fifteen (15) days to correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected within that time period, an administrative citation with a time shall be issued. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an administrative citation may be issued without compliance with the prior notice requirement, or with a reduced period within which a violation must be corrected if such violation creates an immediate danger to health or safety. (Ord. #1598, §3; Ord. #1718, §2)