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§ 5-207  TIME LIMITATIONS ON VALIDITY OF PERMITS.
   All permits issued under this article shall expire by limitation six months after the date of issuance if the work authorized by the permit has not been commenced. If after commencement the work is discontinued for a period of 12 months, the permit shall immediately expire. No work authorized by any permit which has expired shall, thereafter, be performed until a new permit has been secured.
(Code 1976, § 8.25)
Statutory reference:
   Similar provisions, G.S. Chapter 160D.
§ 5-208  CHANGES IN WORK.
   After a permit has been issued, no changes, or deviations, from the terms of the application, plans, or specifications, or the permit, except where changes, or deviations, are clearly permissible under the State Building Code, shall be made until specific written approval of proposed changes, or deviations, has been obtained from the Inspection Department.
(Code 1976, § 8.26)
Statutory reference:
   Similar provisions, G.S. Chapter 160D.
§ 5-209  PERMIT FEES.
   Fees for permits shall be based upon the current county fee schedule at the time the application is received. The current schedule of fees is located in the office of the County Building Inspector.
(Code 1976, § 8.27)
§ 5-210  ENFORCEMENT.
   (A)   Every building that shall appear to the Inspector to be especially dangerous to life because of its liability to fire, or because of bad condition of walls, overloaded floors, defective construction, decay, unsafe wiring or heating system, inadequate means of egress, or other causes, shall be held to be unsafe, and the Inspector shall affix a notice of the dangerous character of the structure to a conspicuous place on the exterior wall of the building.
   (B)   (1)   If the owner of a building, or structure, that has been condemned as unsafe, pursuant to subsection (A) above and G.S. Chapter 160D, shall fail to take prompt, corrective action, the Inspector shall give him or her written notice, by certified or registered mail to his or her last known address, or by personal service:
         (a)   That the building, or structure, is in a condition that appears to meet one, or more, of the following conditions:
            1.   Constitutes a fire, or safety, hazard;
            2.   Is dangerous to life, health, or other property;
            3.   Is likely to cause, or contribute, to blight, disease, vagrancy, or danger to children; or
         (b)   A hearing will be held before the Inspector at a designated place and time, not later than ten days after the date of the notice, at which time the owner shall be entitled to be heard in person, or by counsel, and to present arguments and evidence pertaining to the matter; and
         (c)   Following the hearing, the Inspector may issue such order to repair, close, vacate, or demolish the building, or structure, as appears appropriate.
      (2)   If the name, or whereabouts, of the owner cannot, after due diligence, be discovered, the notice shall be considered properly, and adequately, served if a copy thereof is posted on the outside of the building, or structure, in question at least ten days prior to the hearing, and a notice of the hearing is published in a newspaper having general circulation in the town at least once, not later than one week prior to the hearing.
   (C)   If, upon a hearing held pursuant to the notice prescribed in subsection (B) above and G.S. Chapter 160D, the Inspector shall find that the building, or structure, is in a condition that constitutes a fire, or safety, hazard, or renders it dangerous to life, health, or other property, he or she shall make an order, in writing, directed to the owner of such building, or structure, requiring the owner to remedy the defective conditions by repairing, closing, vacating, or demolishing the building, or structure, or taking other necessary steps, within such period, not less than 60 days, as the Inspector may prescribe; provided, that where the Inspector finds that there is imminent danger to life or other property, he or she may order that corrective action be taken in such lesser period as may be feasible.
   (D)   Whenever any violation is denominated a misdemeanor under the provisions of G.S. Chapter 160D, the town, either in addition to, or in lieu of, other remedies, may initiate any appropriate action, or proceedings, to prevent, restrain, correct, or abate the violation, or to prevent the occupancy of the building, or structure, involved.
   (E)   (1)   In the case of a building, or structure, declared unsafe under subsection (A) above and G.S. Chapter 160D, or an ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection (A) above and G.S. Chapter 160D, the town may, in lieu of taking action under subsection (D) above, cause the building, or structure, to be removed or demolished.
      (2)   The amounts incurred by the town in connection with the removal, or demolition, shall be a lien against the real property upon which the cost was incurred. The lien shall be filed, have the same priority, and be collected in the same manner as liens for special assessments provided in G.S. Chapter 160A, Article 10.
      (3)   If the building, or structure, is removed, or demolished, by the town, the town shall sell the usable materials of the building, and any personal property, fixtures, or appurtenances found in, or attached to, the building. The town shall credit the proceeds of the sale against the cost of the removal, or demolition. Any balance remaining from the sale shall be deposited with the Clerk of the County Superior Court of the county where the property is located, and shall be disbursed by the Court to the person found to be entitled thereto by final order, or decree, of the Court.
      (4)   The amounts incurred by the town in connection with the removal, or demolition, shall also be a lien against any other real property owned by the owner of the building, or structure, and located within the town limits or within one mile of the town limits, except for the owner’s primary residence. The provisions of subsections (E)(2) and (E)(3) above apply to this additional lien, except that this additional lien is inferior to all prior liens, and shall be collected as a money judgment.
   (F)   If the owner of a building, or structure, fails to comply with an order issued, pursuant to subsection (C) above and G.S. Chapter 160D, from which no appeal has been taken, or fails to comply with an order of the Town Council following an appeal, he or she shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, in accordance with G.S. Chapter 160D.
   (G)   If any person shall remove any notice that has been affixed to any building, or structure, by the Inspector that states the dangerous character of the building, or structure, he or she shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Penalty, see § 1-111
Cross-reference:
   Misdemeanors, § 5-210(F) and (G); appeals, § 5-211; equitable actions, § 5-210(D).
Statutory reference:
   Enforcement, G.S. Chapter 160D.
§ 5-211 APPEALS.
   (A)   Any owner who has received an order under § 5-210(C) and G.S. Chapter 160D may appeal from the order to the Town Council by giving notice of appeal, in writing, to the Inspector and to the Town Clerk within ten days following issuance of the order. In the absence of an appeal, the order of the Inspector shall be final. The Town Council shall hear, and render, a decision in an appeal within a reasonable time. The Town Council may affirm, modify and affirm, or revoke the order.
   (B)   Unless otherwise provided by law, appeals from any order, decision, or determination by a member of the Inspection Department pertaining to the State Building Code, or other state building laws, shall be taken to the Commissioner of Insurance, or his or her designee, or other official specified in G.S. § 143-139, by filing a written notice with him or her, and with the Inspection Department within a period of ten days after the order, decision, or determination. The Inspector shall forward a copy of any such appeals to the Town Clerk. Further appeals may be taken to the State Building Code Council, or to the courts, as provided by law.
Statutory reference:
   Appeals in general, G.S. Chapter 160D.
§§ 5-212 TO 5-299  RESERVED.
ARTICLE III:  ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS
   [Repealed]
Statutory reference:
   Building code insulation and energy utilization standards, G.S. §§ 143-144 et seq.
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