(A) Repair of buildings within fire limits. All repairs or additions to any building or structure now standing within the fire limits shall be with brick, stone or cement, and all repairs to the roof of any building or structure within the fire limits shall be with slate, tin, metal, zinc or gravel, or some other non- flammable material; provided, however, that, if the building or structure to be repaired is 200 feet, or more, from Main Street, between Brown and Boyd Streets, and 200 feet, or more from the Public Square, any non-flammable material may be used.
(B) New constructions within fire limits. All buildings or structures hereafter erected within the fire limits shall be built of brick, stone or cement, and covered with slate, tin, metal, zinc, gravel or some other non-flammable material; provided, however, that, the building or structure to be erected is 200 feet, or more, from Main Street, between Brown and Boyd Street, and 200 feet, or more, from Public Square, any non-flammable material may be used. It shall be unlawful for any building to be erected within the fire limits aforesaid, or any other building to be erected within the fire limits aforesaid, or any other buildings not in said fire limits to be altered or repaired, until plans and specifications for the building or repairs first shall have been submitted to and approved by the Town Council, or their designated representative. And it shall be a violation of this chapter to vary or depart from the plans and specifications so approved by the Council or representative.
(C) Procedure for defective or illegal construction. Whenever the inspector finds any defects in any building or finds that the building is not being constructed or has not been constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or that an old building, because of its condition, is dangerous and likely to cause fire, he or she shall notify the owner of the building or the defects or of the failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter and the owner or builder shall immediately remedy the defect and make the building comply with the provisions of this chapter. The owner or builder may appeal from the decision for the inspector to the Town Council.
(D) Notice to repair unsafe buildings. To every building which shall appear to the inspector to be dangerous to life or limb or, because of its liability to fire, bad conditions of walls, overloaded floors, defective construction, decay or other cause, shall be held to be unsafe, the inspector shall affix a notice or the dangerous character of the structure at a conspicuous place on the exterior wall of the building and shall give immediate notice to the owner or agent, fixing a reasonable time under the circumstances for the correction of the condition.
(E) Failure to correct defects.
(1) New construction. If the owner or builder erecting any new building, upon notice from the inspector, shall fail or refuse to comply with the terms of the notice by correcting the defects pointed out in such notice so as to make the building comply with the law as regards new buildings, he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not exceeding $50. Every 20 days during which any defect in the building is willfully allowed to remain, after notice from the inspector, shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
(2) Established buildings. If the owner of any building which has been condemned as unsafe and dangerous by local inspector, after being notified by the inspector in writing of the unsafe and dangerous character of the building, shall permit it to stand or continue in that condition, he or she shall forfeit and pay a fine of not less than $5 or more than $25 for each day the building continues in such condition after the notice.
(1982 Code, Ch. 4, Art. II, § 2-3)