Chapter 8.30
CRIME PROPERTY
Sections:
8.30.050 Abatement proceedings.
8.30.070 Closure order, civil penalties and costs.
8.30.090 Relief from closure order.
8.30.010 Purpose.
(1) The Pilot Rock city council has determined that any real property employed as the site of repeated criminal activity or nuisance activity is a nuisance and detrimental to the civil peace of the city, and detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Pilot Rock.
(2) The Pilot Rock city council has also determined that this chapter is necessary to preserve and protect the habitability of real property in the city of Pilot Rock, and the peaceable, safe, sanitary, and secure occupancy and use of real property in Pilot Rock.
(3) Pilot Rock has the authority to declare such real property a nuisance and regulate and abate the nuisance created by use of the real property pursuant to ORS 105.550 through 105.600. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, except as the context otherwise requires:
“Costs” means those costs actually incurred by the city of Pilot Rock for the physical securing of real property, court costs, and other expenses incurred in enforcing this chapter.
“Officer” means the chief of police or his/her designee.
“Owner” means any person holding or claiming to hold any legal or equitable title or interest in real property, including, but not limited to, a mortgagee in possession, a vendee under a land sale contract, or a beneficiary under a deed of trust; any person having or claiming to have lawful care, custody, or control of real property; or any lien holder or holder of any security interest in the real property.
“Person” means any natural person, association, partnership, or corporation, or other form of legal entity or entity in fact capable of owning or using property.
“Real property” means any real property, including, but not limited to, lots, parcels, buildings, houses, rooms, structures, or any separate part or portion thereof, whether temporary or permanent, and whether or not on the ground itself, and any conveyance or any part or portion thereof.
“Specified crime property” means any kind of real property upon which three or more separate factual incidents occur during any 90-day period that involve any of the below-listed behaviors and that have been independently investigated by any law enforcement agency:
(a) Crimes involving controlled substances as defined in ORS Chapter 475;
(b) Gambling or lottery as defined by ORS 167.117;
(c) Prostitution as defined by ORS 167.007;
(d) Harassment as defined by ORS 166.065, excluding provision 1(b);
(e) Intimidation as defined by ORS 166.155, excluding provision 1(a);
(f) Disorderly conduct as defined by ORS 166.025;
(g) Unlawful use of a weapon as defined by ORS 166.220;
(h) Noise disturbance as defined in city of Pilot Rock ordinances;
(i) Minor in possession of alcohol as defined by ORS 471.430;
(j) Assault as described by ORS 163.160 through 163.185;
(k) Sexual abuse as defined by ORS 163.415 to 163.427;
(l) Public indecency as defined by ORS 163.465;
(m) Trespass as defined by ORS 164.245 through 164.265;
(n) Criminal mischief as defined by ORS 164.345 through 164.365;
(o) Theft by receiving as defined by ORS 164.095; or
(p) Unauthorized use of a vehicle as defined by ORS 164.135.
“Tenant” means a residential tenant as defined by the Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and any other person holding real property under the terms of a lease. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.030 Nuisance declared.
(1) Any real property used or maintained as a specified crime property within the city of Pilot Rock is declared to be a nuisance and shall be abated.
(2) No owner or occupant shall use or maintain or allow the use or maintenance of real property as specified crime property.
(3) No owner or occupant shall use or occupy or allow or permit any person to use or occupy, by lease or otherwise, any real property during any period such property is subject to an order of closure pursuant to ORS 101.07. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.040 Notice.
(1) When the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that real property is being used or maintained in violation of any of the above-mentioned contacts, the officer may institute proceedings against the owner for the closure of the real property and the imposition of civil penalties.
(2) The officer shall provide preliminary notice of the institution of proceedings in the following manner:
(a) The officer shall notify the owner in writing that the real property is believed to be a specified crime property. The notice shall contain the following information:
(i) The street address and legal description sufficient for identification of the property;
(ii) A statement that the property is specified crime property, along with specific findings supporting the determination. The findings shall contain a concise description of the conditions establishing a violation of this chapter.
(b) A copy of the notice shall be served on the owner at least 10 days prior to filing of the complaint. Service of the notice shall be made by personal delivery or by mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail to the owner at the address as it appears on the tax rolls and the address as it appears on the last recorded instrument of conveyance, if different from the address specified on the tax rolls, and to the owner’s actual address, if known to be different than the above.
(c) A copy of the notice shall be served on the occupant or occupants of the real property not less than 10 days prior to the filing of the complaint. Notice shall be made by mailing a copy of the notice by first class mail, or by personal delivery, to the occupant or occupants of the real property.
(d) A copy of the notice may be posted at the real property if 10 days have elapsed from the service or mailing of the notice to the owner, and no response has been received by the officer during that time.
(e) The officer shall send a copy of the notice to the district attorney of Umatilla County and the city of Pilot Rock counsel, as well as any other documentation supporting closure and imposition of civil penalties.
(3) After notice has been given pursuant to this section, the city council may authorize the filing of a complaint in the Umatilla County circuit court to restrain and enjoin the nuisance. Nothing in this section shall limit the power of the city of Pilot Rock to enter into an agreement with the owner of the real property for voluntary abatement of the conditions giving rise to the violation. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.050 Abatement proceedings.
(1) An action shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint and prosecuting the action as provided in ORS 105.565 through 105.590.
(2) If, prior to the trial, the owner and the city enter into an agreement, stipulating to the abatement of the conditions giving rise to the complaint, the court upon motion by the city may stay proceedings for a period not to exceed 60 days. The owner may thereafter petition the court for additional periods of time as may be necessary to complete the actions stipulated to in the agreement. If the owner is not diligently pursuing the actions stipulated in the agreement, the city may apply for release at any time prior to the end of the stay. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.060 Emergency closures.
If the officer determines real property is an immediate threat to the public safety and welfare by virtue of activity which would establish a violation of this chapter, the city may apply to the court for a preliminary injunction ordering closure of the real property. In such event, no preliminary notice is required to be given. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.070 Closure order, civil penalties and costs.
(1) If real property is determined to be a nuisance, the court may order closure of such property for a period of up to one year, and assess a civil penalty against the owner of up to $500.00 for a noncontinuing offense and up to $1,000 for a continuing offense upon finding the owner had knowledge of activities or conditions constituting the violation. A person shall be deemed to have knowledge at a date no later than the date notice is provided pursuant to PRMC 8.30.040. In establishing the amount of any civil penalty, the court may consider the following factors:
(a) The actions taken by the owner to mitigate or correct the problem at the real property;
(b) The financial condition of the owner;
(c) Whether the problem at the real property was repeated or continuous;
(d) The magnitude or gravity of the problem;
(e) The economic or financial benefits accruing or likely to accrue to the owner as a result of the failure to correct conditions at the real property;
(f) The cooperativeness of the owner with city;
(g) The costs to the city of investigating and correcting or attempting to correct the condition;
(h) Any other factors deemed material by the court.
(2) No order of abatement as to that owner shall be entered if the court finds that the owner satisfied the conditions set forth in ORS 105.580(3).
(3) If an order of closure is granted, the city may physically secure the real property against use or occupancy if the owner fails to do so within the time specified by the order. All costs reasonably incurred by the city in such action shall be a lien upon the property as provided by law.
(4) The city shall prepare a statement of costs, which shall be served on the owner and filed with the court. If no objection to the statement is filed as provided by law, the statement of costs shall be entered as part of the judgment, as a general judgment lien against the real property.
(5) The lien shall have priority as set forth in ORS 105.585(1).
(6) A notice of pending action may be filed pursuant to ORS 93.740. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.080 Relocation costs.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, any tenant required to relocate by closure order is entitled to reasonable relocation costs, to be paid by the owner, if the tenant moved into the real property after either:
(a) The owner received notice; or
(b) The owner was served with summons and complaint for a preliminary injunction.
(2) In any action to recover relocation costs, the tenant shall be entitled to reasonable attorney fees associated with the recovery.
(3) A tenant shall not be entitled to relocation costs if:
(a) The owner provided the tenant with a copy of the notice given to the owner or a copy of the complaint for a preliminary injunction filed before the tenant moved into the real property; or
(b) The tenant took part in any of the behavior that constituted an incident on the real property as described in the definition of “specified crime property” (PRMC 8.30.020). [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.090 Relief from closure order.
(1) The owner of real property may obtain relief from a closure order if the owner:
(a) Appears and pays all costs associated with the proceedings;
(b) Files a bond, in the amount not less than the tax assessed value of the real property, and keeps such bond in force for a period of not less than one year; and
(c) Enters into a stipulation with the city to immediately abate the conditions and to make every reasonable effort to prevent the same or similar conditions from occurring for a period of one year.
(2) If the owner violates any term of the stipulation entered into according to subsection (1) of this section, the entire bond shall be forfeited to the city.
(3) Nothing in this section shall alter the abatement provisions of ORS 105.580(4) and (5), where abatement was ordered on the basis of manufacture of a controlled substance. [Ord. 544, 2010].
8.30.100 Other remedies.
Nothing in this chapter shall limit the authority of the city of Pilot Rock and its public officials from taking any other action to restrain or enjoin a nuisance which may be provided by state or local law. [Ord. 544, 2010].