74 / 290
CD18:29
Supp. No. 9
(Ord. of 4-4-78, § 4)
Sec. 18-150. Procedure for enforcement.
(a)
Preliminary investigation; notice; hearing.
Whenever a petition is filed with the
code enforcement officer by at least five residents of the town charging that any structure exists
in violation of this division or whenever it appears to the code enforcement officer, upon
inspection, that any structure exists in violation hereof, he shall, if his preliminary investigation
discloses a basis for such charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in
interest in such structure a complaint stating the charges and containing a notice that a hearing
will be held before the code enforcement officer at a place therein fixed, not less than ten nor
more than 30 days after the serving of the complaint. The owner or any party in interest shall
have the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person, or otherwise, and give
testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint. Notice of such hearing shall also be given
to at least one of the persons signing a petition relating to such structure. Any person desiring to
do so may attend such hearing and give evidence relevant to the matter being heard. The rules of
evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling in hearings before the code
enforcement officer.
(b)
Procedure after hearing.
If, after notice and hearing, the code enforcement
officer determines that the structure under consideration is an abandoned structure and in
violation of this article in accordance with the standards herein set forth, he or she shall record at
the Wake County Register of Deed a Lis Pendens and shall state in writing his findings of fact in
support of such determination, stating whether said abandoned structure is deteriorated or
dilapidated, and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner thereof an order:
1) If the repair to correct unsafe conditions of said abandoned structure
bringing it up to the standards described in the North Carolina State Building
Code can be made at a reasonable cost in relation to the present value of the
structure, the order shall require the owner, within a specified period of time, to
repair such a structure so as to render it in compliance with the order of the code
enforcement officer. Such order may also direct and require the owner to vacate
and close the structure until the repairs have been made and/or the unsafe and
dangerous character of such structure has been corrected.
2) If the repair of said abandoned structure bringing it up to the standards
described in the North Carolina State Building Code cannot be made at a
reasonable cost of the present value of the structure, the order shall require the
owner, within a specified period of time either to repair such structure so as to
bring it into compliance with the standards described in the North Carolina State
Building Code or to demolish and remove such structure.
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*
State Law References:
Authority for above section, G.S.
§
160A-443.
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(c)
If the owner fails to comply with an order to repair the structure, the code
enforcement officer may:
1) Cause such structure to be repaired, and pending such repairs, may
order such structure vacated and closed.