(A) The requirements of this chapter shall be enforced through the officers, employees and volunteers of the City Fire Department and Code Enforcement; and all other officers, employees and volunteers of the city shall provide to the Fire Department and the city all information relevant thereto acquired by them in the course and scope of their employment or association with the city.
(B) No licenses, permits or certificates of any kind or nature shall be issued on behalf of the city in regard to the condition of or any activity within any dwelling unit unless smoke detectors have been installed and located therein according to the requirements and specifications hereof. Detectors must be operable for the final inspection by the City Fire Department or Code Enforcement. Instructions/maintenance booklets must be provided to the owner by the manufacturer pursuant to N.F.P.A. No. 74, and that documentation must be provided during the final inspection.
(C) The Fire Chief or their designee (a “Fire Code Official”) shall enforce and administer the provisions of KRS Chapter 227, the Kentucky Standards of Safety, and all ordinances of the city with respect to fire hazards.
(D) When any Fire Code Official shall find in any building, or upon any premises or other place, a violation of KRS Chapter 227, a deficiency of the Standards of Safety, or a violation of any ordinances of the city with respect to fire hazards, the Fire Code Official shall give to the owner or their representative a written notice of deficiency.
(E) When a deficiency of this chapter is observed and the notice of deficiency is issued, the notice shall comply with the following format:
(1) The notice shall be in writing, and shall be either personally delivered to the owner or posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.
(2) Include a description of the property sufficient for identification.
(3) Include reasons why a notice of deficiency is being issued.
(4) Identify that a notice of up to 30 calendar days is being given to bring the property into compliance.
(5) Include an explanation of the owner’s right to seek modification, clarification, or withdrawal of the notice of deficiency by contacting the issuing inspector.
(F) At the end of the notice period, a follow up inspection (second inspection) will be conducted. If the deficiencies remain, the Fire Code Official will request the owner to submit a plan of repair within seven calendar days and issue a second notice period of up to an additional 30 calendar days to correct the deficiency.
(G) If deficiencies remain uncorrected after the second notice period, the inspector shall assess the following fees against the property owner:
(1) Third inspection fee: $100.
(2) Fourth inspection fee: $200.
(3) Fifth and subsequent inspection fee: $500.
(H) Inspection fee invoices will be mailed by the city to the owner as it appears on the property valuation administrator database. Fees collected under the provision of this section shall be payable to the City of Ludlow. No license, permit, or other approvals shall be granted by the city to any person or business entity who is delinquent in the payment of any inspection fees. In addition, the City Attorney, in cooperation with the Fire Chief, may pursue collection in the appropriate court of law.
(I) If during a follow up inspection (or any subsequent inspection for the same violation) the Fire Code Official finds an additional violation not found during the initial inspection, such violation shall be treated as an initial violation, for which the property owner shall be issued a notice of deficiency.
(J) Violations that remain uncorrected shall be referred to additional agencies to assist in correcting the deficiencies.
('96 Code, § 93.95) (Ord. 1988-22, passed 10-12-1988; Ord. 2023-13, passed 10-12-2023)