§ 14-12.016. Collection.

If the fine is not paid within thirty days after the imposition of the fine becomes a final administrative order, the county may collect the fine, the county's collection costs, and interest. An administrative fine accrues interest at the same annual rate as any civil judgment, beginning on the 20th day after the fine becomes a final administrative order. The county may collect by using any available legal means, including but not limited to the following:

(a)

The county may file a civil action. If a civil action is commenced, the county is entitled to recover all costs associated with the collection of the fine, including those costs set forth in Code of Civil Procedure Section 1033.5.

(b)

The amount of any unpaid final administrative fine, plus interest, plus any other costs as provided in this chapter, may be declared a lien on any real property owned by the owner within the county against whom an administrative penalty has been imposed, as follows:

(1)

Notice will be given to the owner before recordation of the lien, and will be served in the same manner as a summons in the civil action pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 415.10 et seq.;

(2)

The lien attaches when the county records it with the county recorder's office. The lien will specify the amount of the lien, the date(s) of the code violations, the date of the final decision, the street address, legal description, and assessor's parcel number of the parcel on which the lien is imposed, and the name and address of the record owner of the parcel; and

(3)

The lien will be collected at the same time and in the same manner as county taxes are collected, and are subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in case of delinquency as provided for ordinary county taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection, and enforcement of county taxes are applicable to the assessments, except that if any real property to which a lien would attach has been transferred or conveyed to a bona fide purchaser for value, or a lien of a bona fide encumbrancer for value has been created and attaches on the property before the date on which the first installment of taxes would become delinquent, then the lien that would otherwise imposed shall not attach to the real property and the lien will be transferred to the unsecured roll for collection.

(c)

The county may withhold issuance of licenses, permits and other entitlements to an owner on any project, property, or application of any kind whenever an administrative fine remains unpaid.

(d)

The county may take such other actions as are allowed for enforcement of a civil judgment as provided for pursuant to the Enforcement of Judgment Law, California Code of Civil Procedure Section 680.010 et seq.

(Ords. 2002-47 § 3, 2000-21 § 2).