(A) (1) Whenever an environmental inspector shall determine that a violation of the provisions of the chapter has occurred, the environmental inspector shall issue a first notice of code violation by personal delivery, mail or posting on the property. The notice shall include the property address, date, code violation, specified number of days to correct the condition and an approximate date that a reinspection shall be made.
(2) Violations so noted which are not corrected in the specified time shall be subject to the following provisions:
(a) A written notice shall be served upon the owner and/or tenant requiring compliance with the provisions of this chapter within a specified period of time unless he initiates an administrative
review. The notice shall be sufficient if served by any method permitted by Rule 4, S.C. Rules of Civil Procedure, for the service of civil process.
(b) If the violation is a nature which requires abatement, the notice given pursuant to division (a) above shall be addressed to the property owner and/or tenant and shall contain an estimate of the approximate cost for the city to undertake the required work and shall notify the owner that the total cost to the property owner shall be actual costs plus 50% surcharge for administrative expense.
(c) If the addressee(s) of the written notice fails or neglects to cause correction of the prohibited conditions within the period of time specified in the notice, then, and in that event, representatives of the city may enter upon any lands and abate the condition by appropriate action. The cost of the action, plus the 50% administrative surcharge, shall be billed to the owner and/or the tenant of the property. In the event the billing shall remain unpaid for 30 days after mailing the billing to owner, then the cost shall constitute a lien against the property, collectible in the same manner as taxes assessed upon the property.
(B) (1) In the event the addressee(s) disagrees with the determination of noncompliance with the provisions of this chapter, he may, within five days of receipt of written notice, provide the Public Works Director a written description of the particulars of disagreement and issues requiring review. A review panel shall consider the particulars. The panel shall be composed of three of the following: Code Enforcement Officer, Public Works Director, a member of the planning staff and/or City Building Inspection Official.
(2) The scope of review of the panel shall be limited to a review of facts bearing on whether the property is or is not in compliance with this chapter, and the panel shall not have the discretionary authority to waive or relax the standards set forth in this section. Within ten days after receipt of the application for review, the panel shall cause to be served on the addressee a report of findings of compliance or noncompliance. In the event of a finding of noncompliance by the review panel, the report shall specify a number of days, not less than three, from receipt of report within which the prohibited condition must be brought into compliance.
(3) Failure to bring the condition into compliance in the specified time shall result in abatement by the city as provided above and shall be subject to general penalties as described in § 51.99.
(Ord. 94-07-01, passed 7-12-94)