(A) Whenever a petition is filed with the Code Enforcement Officer by any official of the town or any department head having duties relating to health, fire or structure regulations or to any other activities concerning structures in the town, or by at least five residents of the town charging that any structure is unfit for human use, or whenever it appears to the Code Enforcement Officer, on his or her own motion, that any structure is unfit for human use, he or she shall, if his or her preliminary investigation discloses a basis for the charges, issue and cause to be served a complaint upon every owner of and all parties of interest in the structure.
(B) The complaint shall state the charges in that respect and contain a notice that a hearing will be held before the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent, at a place therein fixed, not less than ten days or more than 30 days after the serving of the complaint. Every owner and all parties in interest shall be given the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person or to otherwise give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint.
(C) The rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling in hearings before the Code Enforcement Officer.
(Ord. 2008-06, passed 3-17-08; Am. Ord. 2014-05, passed 5-12-14)