(A) The county counsel may bring a civil action to enjoin or abate a public nuisance or a violation of a county ordinance.
(B) In any civil action brought to enjoin or abate a public nuisance or violation of a county ordinance, the county may recover all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, costs of investigation and discovery. In addition, the prevailing party may recover its attorney's fees. Recovery of attorneys' fees to the prevailing party shall be limited to those individual actions or proceedings in which the county elects, at the initiation of that individual action or proceeding, to seek recovery of its own attorneys' fee. In no action shall an award of attorneys' fees to a prevailing party exceed the amount of reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the county in the action or proceeding.
(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) below, any person who creates or maintains a public nuisance or who violates, or fails to comply with, any ordinance of San Benito County shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 for the creation or maintenance of a public nuisance or for each violation or failure to comply. It shall be a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any person knowingly and intentionally commits, continues or permits a public nuisance or a violation of any provision of any ordinance of San Benito County.
(2) Any person who constructs a dwelling unit or converts a structure for human habitation without any permit required by any provision of a San Benito County ordinance shall be liable for a civil penalty in the amount of any rent received from any person occupying the illegal structure, or, in the alternative, in the amount of the reasonable rental value of the structure from the date of its construction or conversion.
(1966 Code, § 19-3) (Ord. 567, § 1(part); Ord. 625, § 1; Ord. 882, § 1)