NRS244.360. Abatement of nuisances: Complaint; notice; hearing; order; enforcement of order; costs; alternative procedures.

      1.  Whenever a written complaint is filed with the county clerk alleging the existence of a nuisance, as defined in NRS 40.140, within the county, the county clerk shall notify the board of county commissioners, who, except as otherwise provided by subsections 5 and 6, shall forthwith fix a date to hear the proof of the complainant and of the owner or occupant of the real property whereon the alleged nuisance is claimed to exist not less than 30 nor more than 40 days subsequent to the filing of the complaint.

      2.  At the time of fixing the hearing, the board of county commissioners shall order and cause notice of the hearing to be published at least once a week for 2 weeks next preceding the date fixed for the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county and, if none is so published in the county, then in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county.

      3.  At the time fixed for hearing, the board of county commissioners shall proceed to hear the complaint and any opponents. The board may adjourn the hearing from time to time, not exceeding 14 days in all. At the hearing, it shall receive the proofs offered to establish or controvert the facts set forth in the complaint, and on the final hearing of the complaint, the board shall by resolution entered on its minutes determine whether or not a nuisance exists and, if one does exist, order the person or persons responsible for such nuisance to abate the same. If the order is not obeyed within 5 days after service of a copy upon the person or persons responsible for the nuisance, the board of county commissioners shall cause the abatement of the nuisance and make the cost of abatement a special assessment against the real property.

      4.  The special assessment may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary county taxes are collected, and shall be 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 shall be applicable to such special assessment.

      5.  As an alternative to the procedure set forth in subsections 1, 2, 3 and 4, the board of county commissioners, upon receipt from the county clerk of notice of the filing of a complaint alleging the existence of a nuisance, may direct the district attorney to notify the person responsible for such nuisance to abate it, and if such notice is not obeyed after service thereof, within a reasonable time under the circumstances, as specified by the board, to bring legal proceedings for abatement of the nuisance, and for recovery of compensatory and exemplary damages and costs of suit. Such proceedings shall be under the control of the board of county commissioners in the same manner as other suits to which the county is a party.

      6.  Notwithstanding the abatement procedures set forth in the preceding subsections, any board of county commissioners in this State may, by ordinance, direct the district attorney of the county in which the board has jurisdiction to bring all necessary civil actions on behalf of the county in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin, abate or restrain the continued violation of any ordinance, rule or regulation enacted, adopted or passed by said board and having the effect of law, the violation of which is designated as a nuisance in such ordinance, rule or regulation. If the board of county commissioners decides to direct the district attorney as herein provided, it shall enact an ordinance empowering the district attorney to file all necessary civil actions in the name of the county in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any such ordinance, rule or regulation of the board having the effect of law.

      [1:29:1901; RL § 1562; NCL § 2043]—(NRS A 1971, 944; 1973, 215)