By Jim Bloch
Pay the city.
If the city of Port Huron fines you for a blight violation or sends you a bill for mowing your uncut lawn, it’s probably good practice to pay the bill.
If not, you’re likely to end up with a lien against your property.
The city of Port Huron recently placed liens on 114 private properties for unpaid fines and assessments.
The fines total $67,650 or an average of $593 per parcel.
The city council unanimously approved the liens with no discussion as part of its consent agenda at its regular meeting on Jan. 22.
“The City of Port Huron has invoiced property owners of record for fines and assessments ordered by an administrative hearing officer or for costs incurred by the City for the removal of noxious weeds, unlawful growths and/or blighting factors …,” according to the resolution approved by council.
The fines and assessments were for violations of city codes governing zoning, landscaping, exterior structures, open storage, rentals, inspection permits, or other property maintenance issues. By far the most common violation was landscaping, affecting more than half the liens.
The highest individual fine was $5,030 to John Barcume et al. at 2008 Griswold, a rental violation. The lowest appeared to be $60 fines on three properties, two for zoning violations and one for an exterior structure violation.
“All fines and assessments ordered by an administrative hearing officer shall be paid to the city’s treasurer,” said the resolution. “Any fine, sanction, or cost imposed by an administrative hearing officer’s order that remains unpaid after the exhaustion of, or the failure to exhaust, judicial review procedures is a debt due and owing the city and, as such, may be collected in accordance with applicable law, and shall become a lien on the property and assessed as a single lot assessment against such property.”
The city does not place liens on properties until the owners have exhausted their rights to appeal the order of the administrative hearing officer and their bills have remained unpaid for 30 days.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
