§ 8183-7.2. Civil administrative penalties.

a.

Penalties for violations may be assessed and imposed by the Planning Director or Code Compliance Director, or their designees, on any person responsible for the violation in an amount of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per day the violation occurs. In determining the amount of the penalty, the following factors shall be considered:

(1)

The seriousness of the violation with respect to the type and extent of deviation from the standards and requirements of Section 8175-5.21; the harm or threat of harm to persons, the environment and property caused by the violation; the impact of the violation on the property's neighbors, the community at large and surrounding land uses;

(2)

The degree of the responsible person's culpability and other circumstances indicating: a greater or lesser need to motivate compliance, such as history of violations either of a similar or different nature, on the same or different property under the same ownership; extent of cooperation with or obstruction of County officials in resolving the violation(s); and economic benefit derived from the violation(s);

(3)

The factors and policies set forth in the Civil Administrative Penalty Guidelines adopted by the County Board of Supervisors; and

(4)

Other factors as justice may require, including the financial burden of the penalty on the responsible person, if the person raises the issue and produces reliable documentation of their financial condition.

b.

Penalties shall be paid by the date required by the County as stated in a written notice which the County shall send to the responsible person(s). Failure to timely pay an assessed penalty associated with a Final Violation and Penalty constitutes a separate, additional violation. Unpaid penalties may be collected by any lawfully authorized means including but not limited to filing of civil action to recover the amount of unpaid penalties. In addition, the County shall have a lien against the subject property in the amount of the unpaid penalties, notice of which may be recorded in the Office of the Ventura County Recorder.

(Ord. No. 4522, § 5, 6-12-2018)