Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 6.22 Rodent Control

Every person possessing any place that is infested with rodents, as soon as their presence comes to his knowledge, shall at once proceed and continue in good faith to endeavor to exterminate and destroy the rodents, by poisoning, trapping, and in other appropriate means.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The City may inspect all places for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are infested with rodents and whether the requirements of this chapter as to their extermination and destruction are being complied with. However, no building occupied as a dwelling, hotel or rooming house, shall be entered for inspection purposes except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

Whenever any place in the City is infested with rodents, the Code Enforcement Division may cause a notice to abate to be issued, for the purpose of notifying the record owner, or person in charge of or in possession of the property, of the existence of the infestation of rodents. The notice shall direct that the owner shall, within a period of ten days, commence to proceed and to continue to endeavor to exterminate and destroy the rodents, as required in this chapter. Notices served by means other than posting as provided in this chapter shall contain a description of the property in general terms reasonably sufficient to identify the location of the infestation. The notice shall also contain provisions of Section 6.22.050.

(Ord. 7269 § 1, 2014; Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The notice required by Section 6.22.030 shall be served as follows:

1. By personal service on the owner or person in charge or possession of the property; or

2. By registered mail, addressed to the owner or person in charge or in possession of the property, to his address as given on the latest assessment roll of the County of Riverside, or, in absence of an address on the roll, to his last known address, and by posting a copy of said notice in a conspicuous place upon the property for a period of ten days.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

Within ten days from the date of completion of posting and mailing, or within ten days from the date of personal service, of the notice required by Section 6.22.030, the owner or person in charge or possession of the property affected by such notice may appeal to the City Council for a hearing to determine whether or not a rodent infestation described in this chapter exists. Such appeal shall be in writing and shall be filed with the City Clerk. At the regular meeting or regular adjourned meeting of the City Council, not less than five days nor more than 20 days after filing of the appeal, the City Council shall proceed to hear and pass upon the appeal, and the decision of the City Council thereon shall be final and conclusive.

In the event the owner or person in charge or possession of the property affected by such notice fails to so appeal, the existence of the infestation of rodents described in the notice shall be conclusively established.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

Within ten days from the date of completion of posting and mailing, or within ten days from the date of personal service, of the notice required by Section 6.22.030, or, in the case of an appeal to the City Council, within ten days from the determination by the City Council that the infestation of rodents exists, the owner or person in charge or in possession of the property affected by such notice shall abate the nuisance.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

In the event the owner or person in charge or possession of the property affected by such notice, fails, neglects or refuses to proceed and to continue to endeavor to exterminate and destroy the rodents, within the time specified in Section 6.22.060, the City shall at once cause the rodents to be exterminated and destroyed.

(Ord. 7269 § 1, 2014; Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The cost of extermination and destruction of the rodents, in the event the cost exceeds $15.00, shall be repaid by the owner or person in charge or possession of the property. All repayment not received by the City within 45 days after billing by the City shall be deemed unpaid and delinquent. All unpaid sums extended by the City in abating or reducing the infestation of the rodents or preventing recurrence shall become a lien upon the property on which the infestation of rodents is abated or reduced, or its recurrence prevented, as hereinafter in this chapter provided.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

A report of the proceedings and an accurate account of the unpaid costs of abatement, reduction or prevention of recurrence, of the infestation of rodents on each separate property shall be filed with the City Clerk.

The City Clerk shall thereupon set the report and account for hearing by the City Council at the first regular or adjourned regular meeting which will be held at least seven calendar days after the date of filing, and shall post a copy of such report and account and notice of the time and place of hearing in a conspicuous place at or near the entrance to the City Council chambers.

(Ord. 7269 § 1, 2014; Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The City Council shall consider the report and account at the time set for hearing, together with any objections or protests by any interested parties. Any owner of land or person interested therein may present a written or oral protest or objection to the report and account. At the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council shall either approve the report and account as submitted or as modified or corrected by the City Council.

The amount so approved shall be liens upon the respective lots or premises, and the City shall adopt a resolution assessing such amounts as liens upon respective parcels of land as they are shown upon the last available assessment roll, and declaring that such abatement costs were proper for abatement of an existing public nuisance arising out of rodent infestation.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The City Clerk shall prepare and file with the County Auditor a certified copy of the resolution of the City Council assessing the costs of abatement as a lien on the land adopted pursuant to Section 6.22.100.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The Finance Department of the City may accept payment of any amount due at any time prior to the council hearing provided for in Section 6.22.100.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The County Auditor shall enter each assessment on the County tax roll opposite the parcel of land. The amount of the assessment shall be collected at the time and in the manner of ordinary municipal taxes. If delinquent, the amount is subject to the same penalties and procedures of foreclosure and sale provided for ordinary municipal taxes.

Laws relating to levy, collection and enforcement of County taxes apply to such special assessment taxes.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

The lien provisions of this chapter do not apply to the property of any County, City, district or other public corporation.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

Any person who obstructs, hinders or interferes with the entry upon any land mentioned in this chapter of any officer or employee of the City in performance of this duty, and any person who obstructs, interferes with, molests, or damages any work performed by the City under this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)

When the City determines that any building or structure constitutes a rodent harborage, he may serve upon the person in charge or control thereof, a notice in writing to rodent-proof such building or structure within a reasonable time, as stated in such notice. When determined by the City that it is unnecessary to rodent-proof such building or structure in its entirety, he may specify in such notice that portion which is to be rodent-proofed.

(Ord. 7269 § 1, 2014; Ord. 3895 § 1 (part), 1972)