The administration of this chapter is hereby vested in three offices of the government of the county. They are as follows: Administrative Officer, Zoning Board of Appeals, and County Board.
(A) Administrative Officer. The Administrative Officer of the county, and such deputies or assistants that have been, or shall be, duly appointed by the County Board, shall enforce this chapter, and in addition thereto, and in furtherance of such authority shall:
(1) Issue all zoning certificates and certificates of occupancy, and make and maintain records thereof;
(2) Conduct inspection of buildings, structures, and use of land to determine compliance with the terms of this chapter;
(3) Transmit to the Clerk of any city or village copies of all requests for amendments and special uses within one and one-half miles of their municipal boundaries for review and recommendations;
(4) Provide and maintain a public information service relative to all matters arising out of this chapter, and initiate, direct, and review from time to time a study of the provisions of the chapter and make reports of his or her recommendations to the Zoning Board of Appeals;
(5) Transmit to the Zoning Board of Appeals applications for appeals, variances, or other matters on which the Zoning Board of Appeals is required to pass, and act as secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeals maintaining permanent and current records of this chapter, including, but not limited to, all maps, amendments, special conditional uses, variances, appeals, and applications therefor;
(6) Issue certificates of occupancy regulating the erection of buildings or structures and use of land for periods not to exceed ten days for specific purposes such as temporary carnivals, music festivals, churches, revival meetings, charities, and other uses of a similar nature, any of which has less than 200 persons in attendance and are not detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience, or general welfare; provided, however, that said use of operation and any incidental temporary structures or tents are in conformance with all other resolutions and codes of the county;
(7) Issue a temporary certificate of occupancy for a mobile home dwelling during a period of not to exceed six months to allow the applicant of a building permit for a single-family dwelling to occupy said mobile home dwelling during construction of the single-family dwelling. Said temporary occupancy permit may be renewed for one additional six-month period;
(8) Issue a permit for an accessory building to be constructed prior to the construction of the principle building on a lot when said accessory building is needed for protection of equipment and materials used in the construction of the principle building. Any permit granted under this provision shall be granted only after adequate assurances have been provided, and that the construction of the principle building will be initiated within one year from the issuance of the permit for the accessory building; and
(9) Authorize variances of 10% or less of the regulations as to location of structures or as to bulk requirements under such regulations.
(B) County Board. The County Board shall discharge the following duties under this chapter:
(1) Appoint the Administrative Officer whose responsibility it should be to enforce the provisions of this chapter;
(2) Appoint members to the Zoning Board of Appeals as provided for in the State Revised Statutes and in this chapter;
(3) Receive and decide upon all recommendations concerning adoption, amendment, or repeal of this chapter submitted to them by the Zoning Board of Appeals;
(4) Receive from the Zoning Board of Appeals all recommendations on the effectiveness of this chapter; and
(5) To decide all matters upon which it is required to pass under this chapter.
(C) Zoning certificates.
(1) Issuance of zoning certificates. Except as hereinafter provided, no permit pertaining to the use of land or buildings shall be issued by any officer, department, or employee of the county unless the application for such permit has been examined by the Administrative Officer. Any permit issued in compliance with this chapter shall indicate thereon that the proposed building or structure complies with all the provisions of this chapter. Any permit or certificate issued in conflict with the provisions of the chapter shall be null and void.
(2) Plats. In order to ensure that the building or structure conforms with all the provisions of this chapter, the Administrative Officer may require the following prior to the issuance of a building permit:
(a) A plat (original or reproduction thereof), in duplicate of the piece or parcel of land, lot, lots, block or blocks, drawn to scale showing the actual dimensions, as certified by a registered land surveyor registered with the state, as a true copy of the piece or parcel, lot, lots, block, or blocks, or portions thereof, according to the registered or recorded plat of such land; and
(b) A plat, in duplicate, drawn to scale in such form as may, from time to time, be prescribed by the Administrative Officer, showing the ground area, height, and bulk of the building or structure, the building lines in relation to lot lines, the use to be made of the building structure or land, and such other information as may be required by the Administrative Officer for the proper enforcement of this chapter.
(D) Certificate of occupancy. No building, or addition thereto, constructed after the effective date of this chapter, shall be occupied, and no land vacant on the effective date of this chapter shall be used for any purpose until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Administrative Officer. No change in a use, other than that of a permitted use to another permitted use, shall be made until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Administrative Officer. Every certificate of occupancy shall state that the use or occupancy complies with the provisions of this chapter.
(1) Application for certificate of occupancy. Every application for a building permit shall be deemed to be an application for a certificate of occupancy. Every application for a certificate of occupancy for a new use of land where no building permit is required shall be made directly to the Administrative Officer.
(2) Issuance of certificate of occupancy. No certificate of occupancy for a building, or portion thereof, constructed after the effective date of this chapter, shall be issued until construction has been completed and the premises inspected and certified by the Administrative Officer to be in conformity with the plans and specifications upon which the zoning certificate and building permit was based. Pending the issuance of a regular certificate of occupancy, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued to be valid for a period not to exceed six months from its date during the completion of any addition or during partial occupancy of the premises. Reasons in writing for refusal to issue a certificate of occupancy shall be forwarded to the applicant no later than 14 days after the Administrative Officer is notified that the building or premises are ready for occupancy.
(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)