Earlier editions: 2026-07
Title 9 — Peace, Safety and Morals
Stanton Municipal Code Ch. 9.17 Lien Assessment—code Enforcement
Stanton Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Stanton
Cite as: Stanton Municipal Code Chapter 9.17 · Text as of 2026-10-04
§ 9.17.010. Purpose and intent.¶
It is the purpose and intent of this chapter to recover the city's cost of abating public nuisances and providing code enforcement services from those property owners who violate the city's laws. It is further the purpose and intent of this chapter to implement the provisions of California Government Code Section 54988 which allows for the recovery of the city's costs in providing code enforcement and public nuisance abatement. The city's authority under this chapter is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any authority the city already has pursuant to other state laws or its police power provided by the State Constitution.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.020. Applicability of lien assessment to certain violations.¶
The provisions of this chapter which allow the city to collect any fee, cost, or charge related to code enforcement and public nuisance abatement shall apply to the following circumstances
A. The abatement of public nuisances;
B. The correction of any violation of any law or regulation that would also be a violation of Civil Code Section 1941.1;
C. The enforcement of zoning ordinances adopted pursuant to Government Code Section 65800 et seq. or any other constitutional or statutory authority;
D. Inspections and abatement of violations of Health and Safety Code Section 13100 et seq.;
E. Inspections and abatement of violations of the State Housing Law, Health and Safety Code Section 17910 et seq., and regulations adopted pursuant thereto;
F. Inspections and abatement of violations of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations; or
G. Inspections and abatement related to local ordinances and regulations that implement any of the foregoing. If the fee, cost, or charge has not been paid within forty-five days of notice thereof, by making the amount of the unpaid fee, cost, or charge a proposed lien against the property that is the subject of the enforcement activity.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.030. Costs not to exceed actual costs.¶
The total amount of any fee, cost, or charge imposed by the city shall not exceed the city's actual costs incurred in conducting the inspections and enforcement activity—including permit fees, fines, late charges, and interest.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.040. Notice of proposed lien—Form.¶
A. The city hall provide the owner of the property with written notice, in substantially the form as set forth in subsection B of this section, of the proposed lien, a description of the basis for the amounts comprising the lien, a minimum of forty-five days after notice to pay the fee, cost, or charge, and an opportunity to appear before the city council and be heard regarding the amount of the proposed lien.
B. The notice required by subsection A of this section shall be in substantially the form set forth below:
| NOTICE OF LIEN |
|---|
| DATE: |
| TO: __________[property owner's name] |
| _______________[property address] |
| _______________ |
| Pursuant to Government Code Section 54988(2)(b)(1) YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED of a proposed lien for the actual costs incurred by the City to correct code violations at__________[property address] |
| These costs total $__________and are detailed on the attachment. The total amount is due 45 days from the date listed above, or by _______________.[specify date] Your check should be made payable to the City of Stanton and mailed to: |
| City of Stanton 7800 Katella Avenue Stanton, CA 90680 Attention:__________ |
| If payment is not timely made, the total amount due may be placed on the tax roll for collection along with your property taxes, or the total amount due may be made a lien, like a judgment lien, on your property. |
| You are FURTHER NOTIFIED that if you wish to be heard regarding the amount of the proposed lien (total amount due) you may request a hearing before the City Council by signing below and filing this form with the City Clerk within 10 days of the date at the top of this form, or by____________________[specify date] If you do not file a timely request for a hearing, you will be deemed to have waived your right to contest the amount of the lien. If you make a timely request, the City Clerk will then notify you of the date of the City Council hearing. |
| Executed on __, ___ 20 |
| ____________________ City Official's Signature |
| Date: __________, __20 |
| To: City Clerk |
| I, _______________, hereby request a hearing before the City Council on the amount of the proposed lien. |
| ______________________ Property Owner's Signature |
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.050. Default if no hearing—Conduct of hearing—Findings.¶
A. If a hearing is not timely requested, the city clerk shall schedule the confirmation of the proposed lien on the next city council agenda at which the matter may lawfully be set.
B. If a hearing is timely requested, at the conclusion thereof, the city council shall make written factual findings based on evidence introduced at the hearing.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.060. Determination following hearing—Imposition or release of lien.¶
A. If the city council determines that the proposed lien, or lessor amount determined at or following the hearing, authorized pursuant to Government Code Section 54988 shall become a lien, the city council may also cause a notice of lien to be recorded. This lien shall attach upon recordation in the office of the county clerk/county recorder of the county of Orange. Thereafter, such lien shall have the same force, priority, and effect as a judgment lien, not a tax lien. The notice of lien shall, at a minimum, identify the record owner or possessor of the property, set forth the last known address of the record owner or possessor, set forth the date upon which the lien was created against the property, and include a description of the real property subject to the lien and the amount of the lien.
B. If the city council determines that the proposed lien shall not become a lien, the proceedings shall terminate and the city clerk shall advise the property owner of the same.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.070. Form and format of lien for recording.¶
If a lien is confirmed by the city council in accordance with Section 9.17.060 of this chapter, the form of the lien shall be in substantially the form set forth below:
| NOTICE OF LIEN |
|---|
| Claim of the City of Stanton |
| Pursuant to the authority vested by Government Code Section 54988 and by Chapter 9.17 of the Stanton Municipal Code, the City Council of the City of Stanton did on or about the _____day of 20, determine the actual costs incurred by the City to correct code violations at ____________[property address]. The City Council of the City of Stanton, did on the day of, 20, assess such actual costs of corrections upon the property and the same has not been paid nor any part thereof. The City of Stanton does hereby claim a lien for recovery of such costs in the amount of the assessment; to wit: the sum of $, and the same shall be a lien upon the real property until paid in full and discharged of record. |
| The real property hereinabove mentioned, and upon which a lien is claimed, is that certain parcel of land lying and being entirely within the City of Stanton, County of Orange, State of California, particularly described as follows: |
| (legal description) |
| Dated: This _____ day of ____, 20. |
| _______________________ City Clerk, City of Stanton |
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.080. Enforcement of lien—Collection.¶
The amount of the proposed lien may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as property taxes are collected. All laws applicable to the levy, collection, and enforcement of ad valorem taxes shall be applicable to the proposed lien, except that if any real property to which the lien would attach has been transferred or conveyed to a bona fide purchaser for value, or if a lien of a bona fide encumbrancer for value has been created and attaches thereon, prior to the date on which the first installment of taxes would become delinquent, then the lien that would otherwise be imposed by this chapter and Government Code Section 54988 shall not attach to real property and the costs of enforcement relating to the property shall be transferred to the unsecured roll for collection.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
§ 9.17.090. Exceptions to application of chapter.¶
A. This chapter shall not apply to owner-occupied residential dwelling units.
B. This chapter does not apply to any enforcement, abatement, correction, or inspection activity regarding a violation in which the violation was evident on the plans that received a building permit.
(Ord. 840 § 1, 2000)
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code