(A) All rental residential property shall be subject to an inspection as a condition to the issuance of the license and prior to offering the property for occupancy by a tenant and prior to the issuance of the initial license and/or after any change in tenancy, which per the definition of tenant in this chapter includes a change of adult occupancy. Additional inspections shall be allowed to the City upon a request of a tenant or Landlord, or upon the City determining that probable cause exists for a violation of the provisions of this chapter and/or any other City code for the purpose of determining whether the residential rental property is in compliance with all Spring Valley Building Codes, and further in compliance with the City's zoning ordinance, and all other applicable provisions of this Code. Any such inspection shall also within the discretion of the building inspector include a physical inspection of the residential property including the building exterior, common areas, basement, and all individual units of the rental residential property.
(B) Notwithstanding the provision within subsection (A) of this section, in the event that the Landlord shall have provided written notice to the City of Spring Valley of a request for initial inspection and/or request for inspection based upon change of tenancy/occupancy as provided herein by either certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the City of Spring Valley Building Inspector, 215 N. Greenwood Street, Spring Valley, IL 61362 or to the email address of the building inspector at rentalregistry@springvalleyil.us and in the further event that following receipt of said notice by the City shall not within fifteen (15) days perform the inspection then in that event the premises may be leased and occupied by tenants without the issuance of the license, with the City however retaining the right to reasonably inspect the premises regarding said initial issuance and/or change of occupancy within ninety (90) days of said written notice.
(C) Compliance time frame will be set by the Code official. In establishing a compliance time frame, the Code official shall determine the reasonable minimal time necessary to correct the violations based upon the number and severity of the violations. In the event that the property is unoccupied at the time that an inspection of a rental residential property reveals any violations of applicable ordinances, the building inspector shall have the discretion to require, depending upon a circumstance as deemed appropriate within the appropriate exercise of discretion by the building inspector that corrections in regard to the full remediation and compliance be made prior to the residential rental property being allowed to be reoccupied. The Code official shall send notice to the property owner or the listed property agent by regular U.S. mail at the last address provided on the most recent license application. The notice shall include the following:
1. Description of the property sufficient for identification;
2. A statement listing the violations of applicable ordinances;
3. A statement of the date upon which the licensing re-inspection will occur; and
4. An explanation that if upon completion of the licensing re- inspection that the requirements of applicable City ordinances have not been met, a written denial of the license application revoking the temporary certificate will be issued.
(D) A licensing re-inspection will be conducted as provided above in the event of change of tenancy, which per the definition of this chapter shall include change in adult occupancy. The license shall remain in effect upon the successful completion of a licensing re-inspection that determines the rental residential property meets the requirements of applicable City ordinances. If the Code official finds that the requirements of applicable City ordinances have not been met, or that any information provided in the license application is false, the license shall be suspended or revoked in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Applications for license renewals shall be made in the same manner as for new applications except that such applications shall state thereon such fact. (Ord. 1643, 10-10-2016; amd. Ord. 1738, 1-28-2019; Ord. 1842, 6-6-2022)