(A) Imminent danger. When, in the opinion of the property maintenance code official, there is imminent danger of failure or collapse of a building or structure which endangers life, or when any structure or part of a structure has fallen and life is endangered by the occupation of a structure, or when there is actual or potential danger to the building occupants or those in the proximity of any structure because of explosives, explosive fumes or vapors, or the presence of toxic fumes, gases, or materials or operation of defective or dangerous equipment, the property maintenance code official is hereby authorized and empowered to order and require the occupants to vacate the premises forthwith. The property maintenance code official shall cause to be posted at each entrance to such structure a notice signed by this official reading as follows: “This Structure Is Unsafe and Its Occupancy Has Been Prohibited by the Property Maintenance Code Official”. It shall be unlawful for any person to enter such structure except for the purpose of securing the structure, making the required repairs, removing the hazardous condition, or of demolishing the same.
(B) Temporary safeguards. Notwithstanding other provisions of this code, whenever, in the opinion of the property maintenance code official, there is imminent danger due to an unsafe condition, the property maintenance code official shall order the necessary work to be done, including the boarding up of openings, to render such structure temporarily safe whether or not the legal procedure herein described has been instituted; and shall cause such other action to be taken as the property maintenance code official deems necessary to meet such emergency.
(C) Emergency repairs. For the purposes of this section, the property maintenance code official shall employ the necessary labor and materials to perform the required work as expeditiously as possible.
(D) Cost of emergency repairs. Costs incurred in the performance of emergency work shall be paid by the township. The township’s legal counsel shall institute appropriate action against the owner of the premises where the unsafe structure is or was located for the recovery of such costs.
(E) Hearing. Any person ordered to take emergency measures shall comply with such order forthwith. Any affected person shall thereafter, upon filing of an appeal, be afforded a hearing as described in this code.
(Ord. 2010-3, passed 8-31-2010)