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~ 18-2 MARTINSVILLE CODE /~ Sec. 18-2. Removal or screening of accumulations on private property. (a) It shall be the duty of the owner of any real property in the city, whether vacant or occupied, to keep such premises free from any trash, garbage, litter or junk and to keep any rusted, wrecked, inoperative or dilapidated furniture, appliance, equipment, machinery or material screened or hidden from the view of any adjacent property and from the view of any person using a public street or sidewalk adjacent to such premises. (b) If the owner of any property fails or refuses to comply with this section, the director of public works shall give a written notice to such owner requiring him to clean up or remove such trash, garbage, litter or junk or to completely screen such derelict items from public view within fifteen (15) days after the date of the notice. (c) The notice referred to in subsection (b) above shall be given to the owner by personally serving a copy of such notice on the owner or his agent or by mailing a copy to the owner at his last known post office address by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or if the owner or his address is unknown, by publication of such notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once per week for two (2) successive weeks. A copy of such notice sent to the owner by registered or certified mail at the address of such owner listed on the land books of the city shall be deemed sufficient and equivalent to notice having been received by the owner, regardless of whether such copy is returned undelivered or not. (d) Upon the failure or refusal ofthe owner, after serving of the notice provided for in this section, to clean up or remove such trash, garbage, litter or junk or to completely screen such derelict items from public view within the time provided, the director of public works may have the trash, garbage, litter, junk or derelict items cleaned up or removed by city employees or city agents under contract. All of the actual costs and expenses of such work, plus the cost of serying the notice, shall be chargeable to and paid by the owner of the property. Any bill sent to the owner which is not paid within thirty (30) days shall be transmitted to the city treasurer, who shall include such bill in the next regular real estate tax bill sent to the owner. Every such charge with which the owner has been assessed and which remains unpaid after the deadline for the payment of the next installment of real estate taxes shall constitute a lien against such property; provided, however, that such lien shaH be recorded in the same manner as liens for real estate taxes are recorded. It shall be the duty of the city treasurer to assure the proper recording of any such lien. (e) The failure or refusal of any property owner to comply with the terms of any notice served pursuant to this section shall constitute a Class 4 misdemeanor. (0 Nothing in this section shall be construed as nullifying any restriction or regulation . contained in the zoning ordinance of the city. (g) This section shall not apply to inoperative motor vehicles, trailers or semitrailers. (Ord. of 8-24-82, ~ 8-3) Charter reference-Authority of city to require premises to be kept clean and sanitary, Ch. 1, ~ 2(20). Cross references-Penalty for Class 4 misdemeanor, ~ 1-11; abandoned .or discarded refrigerators and other airtight containers, ~ 13-35; open storage of inoperative motor ve- Supp. No. 18 /--"', /~, 1070