(a) Every person, corporation, or firm who violates, disobeys, neglects, or refuses to comply with any provisions of the zoning code or any permit, license, or exception granted hereunder, or any lawful order of the Zoning Inspector, Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission, or Village Council issued in pursuance of this zoning code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. A subsequent violation of this zoning code involving the same property, the same violator, and occurring within two years of the last prior conviction for the same violation, shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree. Each and every day that a violation remains uncorrected after receiving a notice of violation from the Village constitutes a separate violation.
(b) The owner, tenant or occupant of any land or structure, or part thereof, or any design professional, builder, contractor, vendor, authorized agent or other person who knowingly participates in, assists, directs, creates or maintains any situation that is contrary to the requirements of the zoning code may be held jointly and severally responsible for the violation and be subject to penalties and remedies.
(c) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 713.13, the Village may seek an injunction or other equitable relief in court to stop any violation of this zoning code.
(d) The Village may seek a court order in the nature of mandamus, abatement, nuisance or other action or proceeding to abate or remove a violation or to otherwise restore premises in questions to the condition in which they existed prior to the violation.
(e) The Zoning Inspector shall enforce the zoning code by inspecting the properties within the Village pursuant to the zoning code for violations. Upon discovering an apparent violation, the Zoning Inspector shall prepare and issue a citation according to law. Hearing on any such citation issued by the Zoning Inspector shall be heard in the Ottawa County Municipal Court and shall be prosecuted by the Village Legal Counsel.
(f) The Village may seek such other penalties and remedies as are provided by
Ohio law.
(g) The remedies and enforcement powers established in this section are cumulative, and the Village may exercise them in any order.
(Ord. 1133-16. Passed 9-12-16.)