A. When the director finds that a user has violated, or continues to violate, any provision of this title, a wastewater discharge permit or order issued hereunder, or any other pretreatment standard or requirement, the director may fine such user in an amount determined pursuant to the enforcement response plan. In addition, the city may issue administrative complaints, conduct administrative hearings, and/or impose civil penalties in accordance with the procedures set forth in this chapter for violation of the city’s requirements set forth in this title. The amount of any civil penalties imposed under this section which have remained delinquent for a period of 60 days shall constitute a lien against the real property of the discharger from which the discharge originated resulting in the imposition of the civil penalty.

B. Unpaid charges, fines, and penalties may, after 30 calendar days, be assessed an additional penalty of the unpaid balance, which shall also become a lien against the user’s real property from which the discharge originated.

C. Issuance of an administrative fine shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against the user.

D. The maximum credible penalty shall be $10,000 per violation per day, for penalties applicable to general violations of the pretreatment ordinance.

E. Users desiring to dispute the imposition of a fine must file a written request for the director to reconsider the fine along with full payment of the fine amount within 10 days of being notified of the fine. The director may add the costs of preparing administrative enforcement actions, such as notices and orders to assess the fine. In the event the director grants the user’s request for reconsideration or in the event the user prevails in an appeal, the payment, together with any interest accruing thereto, shall be returned to the user. (Ord. 3220 § 2, 2016)