(A) Enforcement Officer. There is hereby established by the City of Canton, provisions for the enforcement of this code by the Building Inspector.
(B) Restrictions on employees.
(1) An officer or employee connected with the department, except one whose only connection is a member of the Board established by this subchapter, shall not be financially interested in the furnishing of labor, material or appliances for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building, or in the making of plans or of specifications therefor, unless he or she is the owner of the building.
(2) The officer or employee shall not engage in any work which is inconsistent with his or her duties or with the interests of the Department.
(C) Records. The Building Inspector shall keep, or cause to be kept, a record of the business of the Department. The Records of the Department shall be open to public inspection.
(D) Right of entry; inspections.
(1) The Building Inspector shall enforce the provisions of this code, and he or she, or his or her duly authorized representative, upon presentation of proper identification to the owner, agent or tenant in charge of the property, may enter any building, structure, dwelling, apartment, apartment house or premises, during all reasonable hours for the purpose of inspection, examination and survey, and in the interest of safeguarding the health and safety of occupants and the general public.
(2) In cases of emergency where extreme hazards are known to exist which may involve the potential loss of life or severe property damage the above limitations shall not apply.
(E) Unsafe residential buildings.
(1) All residential buildings or structures used as such, which are unsafe, unsanitary, unfit for human habitation, or not provided with adequate egress, or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life, or which in relation to existing use constitute a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence or abandonment, are severally, in contemplation of this section, unsafe buildings.
(2) All the unsafe buildings are hereby declared illegal and shall be abated by repair and rehabilitation or by demolition in accordance with the following procedure:
(F) Notice.
(1) Whenever the Building Inspector determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provision of this subchapter or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, he or she shall give notice of the alleged violation to the person or persons responsible therefor and the alleged violation shall constitute a nuisance.
(2) The notice shall:
(a) Be put in writing;
(b) Include a statement of the reasons why it is being issued;
(c) Allow 30-days’ time to initiate the actual construction of improvements to correct the deficiencies in the notice or the performance of any act it requires; and
(d) The notice shall further state that if the repairs, reconstruction, alterations, removal or demolition are not voluntarily completed within the stated time as set forth in the notice, the Building Inspector shall institute legal proceedings charging the person or persons, firm, corporation or agent with a violation of this code.
(G) Service of notice. Service of notice shall be as follows:
(1) By delivery to the owner personally, or by leaving the notice at the usual place of abode of the owner with a person of suitable age and discretion; or
(2) By depositing the notice in the United State Post Office addressed to the owner at his or her last known address with postage prepaid thereon; and
(3) By posting and keeping posted for 24 hours a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises to be repaired.
(H) Liability.
(1) Any officer or employee, or member of the Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals, charged with the enforcement of this code, in the discharge of his or her duties, shall not thereby render himself liable personally, and he or she is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his or her duties.
(2) Any suit brought against any officer or employee because of this code shall be defended by the City Attorney until the final termination of the proceedings.
(I) Reports. The Building Inspector shall annually submit a report to the City Administrator covering the work of the Department during the preceding year. He or she shall incorporate in the report a summary of the decisions of the Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals during that year.
(J) Letter of compliance. A letter indicating compliance with the provisions of this code may be issued by the Building Inspector.
(Ord. 91-5, passed 4-16-1991)