(A) Zoning permit required. No use, alteration, remodeling, repair, enclosure, or construction of any building or structure (including fences) shall take place until an application and plans are submitted for review and approval in the form of a zoning permit by the town’s Development Services Director.
(B) If the work does not fall under the requirements of a zoning permit, the town’s Development Services Director shall issue a letter exempting the applicant from a zoning permit, although the applicant may still be subject to obtaining a building permit from Gaston County, according to §§ 150.08 and 150.21.
(C) Failure to comply with any provision of this section is hereby declared unlawful. The following remedies and enforcement powers may be used to administer and enforce this section:
(1) The Administrator may withhold all permits or approvals if there is:
(a) A repeat violation of this section; or
(b) There is a condition or qualification of approval granted by a permit issuing body that has not been met.
(2) The Administrator may deny or withhold all permits, certificates, or other forms of authorization on any land or structure or improvements owned or being developed by a person who owns, developed or otherwise caused an uncorrected repeat violation of this administration. This provision shall apply whether or not the property for which the permit or other approval is sought is the property in violation.
(3) Any zoning permit or other form of authorization stipulated under this section may be revoked for any reason set forth in G.S. 160A-422.
(4) With or without revoking permits, the Administrator may order that work be stopped on any land or structure on any land on which there is an uncorrected violation of a provision of this section or of a permit or other form of authorization issued hereunder, in accordance with the power to stop work pursuant to G.S. 160A-421. The stop work order shall be in writing, directed to the person doing the work, and shall state the specific work to be stopped, the specific reasons thereof, and the conditions under which the work may be resumed.
(5) Where a violation of this section involves a failure to comply with approved plans or conditions to which the approval of such plans was made subject, the Administrator may, upon notice to the applicant and other known parties in interest (including any holders of building permits affected), revoke the plan approval pursuant to G.S. 160A-422. Any permit mistakenly issued in violation of an applicable state or local law may also be revoked.
(6) All violations of this section shall subject the offender to a civil penalty to be recovered by the city in a civil action in the nature of debt if the offender does not pay the penalty within 30 days after he has been cited for violation of the ordinance, and may be enforced by an appropriate equitable remedy including but not limited to injunctions issued from a court of competent jurisdiction as outlined in § 153.999.
(7) The Administrator may impose penalties as called for in § 153.999, and each day's continuing violation shall be a separate and distinct offense.
(Ord. passed 10-11-2016; Am. Ord. passed - - )