(A) The Building Inspector may make periodic inspections, subject to the City Council's directions, for unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise hazardous and unlawful conditions in buildings or structures within the territorial jurisdiction, specifically including without limitation the extraterritorial planning jurisdiction, of the city. Except as provided in division (B) of this section, the Building Inspector may make periodic inspections only when there is reasonable cause to believe that unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise hazardous or unlawful conditions may exist in a residential building or structure. For purposes of this section, the term REASONABLE CAUSE
means any of the following:
(1) The landlord or owner has a history of more than two verified violations of the housing ordinances or codes within a 12-month period;
(2) There has been a complaint that substandard conditions exist within the building or there has been a request that the building be inspected;
(3) The Building Inspector has actual knowledge of an unsafe condition within the building; or
(4) Violations of the local ordinances or codes are visible from the outside of the property.
(B) In conducting inspections authorized under this section, the Building Inspector shall not discriminate between single-family and multifamily buildings. In exercising this power, the Building Inspector shall have a right to enter on any premises within his jurisdiction at all reasonable hours for the purposes of inspection or other enforcement action, upon presentation of proper credentials.
(C) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit periodic inspections in accordance with the State Fire Prevention Code or as otherwise required by state law.
(G.S. § 160A-424(a)) (Am. Ord. 08 ORD 4-13, passed 4-4-13)