§ 1.12.020. Authority to enforce administrative remedies.

A.

Enforcement Officer: Defined. For the purposes of this chapter, "enforcement officer" means those city employees or agents designated by the city manager to enforce all applicable codes, statutes and regulations of the City of Willits.

B.

Right to Inspect. Enforcement officers may, upon presentation of proper credentials, enter upon any affected property at any reasonable time to inspect the same or to perform any act or acts as may be related to the performance of his or her enforcement duties, subject to the procedures below. If an enforcement officer has reasonable cause to believe that a condition exists that poses an imminent or immediate threat of harm to persons or property, or to public health, welfare or safety, the enforcement officer may enter the affected property or location without prior notification to the owner or occupant. In all other cases, an enforcement officer shall give the owner and/or occupant, if the same can be located after reasonable effort, reasonable notice of a request for consent to enter the affected property for purposes of conducting an inspection. If an owner or occupant refuses entry after a request or entry has been property made or the owner or occupant cannot be located after reasonable effort, the enforcement officer may seek an inspection warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction. All such inspections shall be conducted in such a manner as to be consistent with this code, all state and federal law, and the constitutions of the United States and the state of California.

C.

Authority to abate nuisance conditions. Upon determining that a nuisance condition exists, an authorized representative of the city may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for an abatement warrant authorizing an enforcement officer or any employee, authorized agent, representative or contractor of the city to enter onto any affected property within the city to abate the nuisance condition. An abatement warrant as contemplated in this section, shall be requested in the same manner, and be in substantially the same form, as an inspection warrant.

D.

Execution of inspection warrant or abatement warrant. Upon issuance of an inspection warrant or abatement warrant, as described in this chapter, the enforcement officer shall cause such warrant to be executed in accordance with the procedures set forth in Code of Civil Procedure Section 1822.56.

(Ord. 16-01, § 3)