(A) An appeal from any decision or order of the Housing Administrator may be taken by any person aggrieved thereby or by any officer, board or council of the town. Any appeal from the Housing Administrator shall be taken within ten days from the rendering of the decision or service of the order by filing with the Housing Administrator and with the Board a notice of appeal which shall specify the grounds upon which the appeal is based. Upon the filing of any notice of appeal, the Housing Administrator shall forthwith transmit to the Housing Appeals Board all the papers constituting the record upon which the decision appealed from was made. When an appeal is from a decision of the Housing Administrator refusing to allow the person aggrieved thereby to do any act, his or her decision shall remain in force until modified or reversed. When any appeal is from a decision of the Housing Administrator requiring the person aggrieved to do any act, the appeal shall have the effect of suspending the requirement until the hearing by the Board, unless the Housing Administrator certifies to the Housing Appeals Board, after the notice of appeal is filed with him or her, that because of facts stated in the certificate (a copy of which shall be furnished the appellant), a suspension of his or her requirement would cause imminent peril to life or property. In that case the requirement shall not be suspended except by a restraining order, which may be granted for due cause shown upon not less than one day's written notice to the Housing Administrator, by the Board, or by a court of record upon petition made pursuant to division (D) below.
(B) The Appeals Board shall fix a reasonable time for hearing appeals, shall give due notice to the parties, and shall render its decision within a reasonable time. Any party may appear in person or by agent or attorney. The Board may reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or may modify the decision or order appealed from, and may make any decision and order that in its opinion ought to be made in the matter, and to that end it shall have all the powers of the Housing Administrator, but the concurring vote of four members of the Board shall be necessary to reverse or modify any decision or order of the Housing Administrator. The Board shall have power also in passing upon appeals, when practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships would result from carrying out the strict letter of the ordinance, to adapt the application of the ordinance to the necessities of the case to the end that the spirit of the ordinance shall be observed, public safety and welfare secured, and substantial justice done.
(C) Every decision of the Board shall be subject to review by proceedings in the nature of certiorari instituted within 15 days of the decision of the Board, but not otherwise.
(D) Any person aggrieved by an order issued by the Housing Administrator or a decision rendered by the Board may petition the Superior Court for an injunction restraining the Housing Administrator from carrying out the order or decision and the court may, upon the petition, issue a temporary injunction restraining the Housing Administrator pending a final disposition of the cause. The petition shall be filed within 30 days after issuance of the order or rendering of the decision. Hearings shall be held by the court on a petition within 20 days, and shall be given preference over other matters on the court's calendar. The court shall hear and determine the issues raised and shall enter the final order or decree as law and justice may require. It shall not be necessary to file bond in any amount before obtaining a temporary injunction under this division.
(E) If any dwelling is erected, constructed, altered, repaired, converted, maintained or used in violation of this chapter or of any ordinance or code adopted under authority of this chapter or any valid order or decision of the public officer or board made pursuant to any ordinance or code adopted under authority of this chapter, the public officer or board may institute any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent the unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration or use, to restrain, correct or abate the violation, to prevent the occupancy of the dwelling, or to prevent any illegal act, conduct or use in or about the premises of the dwelling, as provided under G.S. § 160A-446(g).
(Ord. passed - -2007)