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RELEVANT LINKS: See Parc VII —F— Abatement. Hannan v. Cin of Minneapolis, 623 N.W.2d 2S1 (Minn. Ct. App. 2001). Ciro of Ramsey v. Kiefer, No. A08-1714 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 25. 2009) (unpublished decision). Handbook, Chapter 11. Handbook Chapter 12. Minn. Stat. § 415.17. As part of the criminal sentencing, some or all of the actual jail time or fines may be suspended (or stayed), so long as the nuisance condition is remedied within a particular period of time. C. Civil actions When the city has reasonable grounds to believe a nuisance exists, it may bring a civil action in district court to end that activity. Rather than seek criminal penalties, cities often pursue a civil remedy to achieve compliance with a city ordinance. Civil actions are generally faster, preferred by the courts, and provide the city the advantage of a lower burden of proof (preponderance of the evidence). Civil remedies can include injunctions or restraining orders. Subsequent violations of restraining orders can be enforced though contempt proceedings. D. Administrative enforcement 4 Some cities have adopted administrative enforcement ordinances for dealing with nuisance conditions. An administrative process is a quasi, non -judicial alternative remedy. Under this system, property owners (or other types of alleged nuisance violators) are provided the opportunity to present their side before an administrative hearing officer (or panel) appointed by the city council. When violations are found, penalties typically follow a pre -established schedule: more nominal fees for a first violation with increased penalties for subsequent acts. The advantage to establishing an administrative hearing procedure is that it is less formal, less costly, and potentially less intimidating than the court system. The accused is given a chance to cone into compliance, with all monies collected retained by the city, not distributed through the state court system. Cities should be aware that both the state auditor and the state attorney general have questioned whether cities have authority to enact these local processes. Accordingly, cities contemplating such an ordinance should work closely with their city attorney. E. Licensing Cities also address nuisance conditions through conunon regulatory means, such as city licenses, permits, and other forms of required registration. The use of licenses and permits offer cities an effective means to monitor compliance. The conditions included with the application process help ensure that an applicant complies with ordinance requirements before the license or permit is issued. If it is found at a later time that the license or permit holder is not in compliance, the city can League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 6/28/2013 Public Nuisances Page 16