(a) This section shall apply to all properties within the town jurisdiction. The requirements contained herein shall become effective upon adoption of this chapter; however, no enforcement proceedings shall commence under this section until sixty (60) days after adoption. This sixty (60) day period is to allow property owners time to make necessary improvements required under this section.
(b) Construction. All new structures shall be designed, constructed, and maintained per the following standards: All structures shall comply with applicable provisions of this chapter and the North Carolina State Building Code as adopted by N.C. State Building Code Council, and the Town Minimum Housing Code, and other building chapters may be adopted and or amended by the town from time to time.
(c) Maintenance. All structures erected, occupied, or continued under this chapter shall be maintained in good structural condition, in compliance with all applicable codes and provisions of this chapter. Specifically:
(1) All existing structures shall comply with applicable provisions of this chapter and the following codes, including but not limited to the: North Carolina State Building Code Volume IX - Existing Buildings, the requirements of the code under which the building was built, and the Town Minimum Housing Code.
(2) A structure shall have no more than twenty percent (20%) of its exterior roofs, walls, and other elements of the structure covered with disfigured, cracked, or peeling surface materials for more than thirty (30) consecutive days.
(3) A structure shall not be maintained with broken windows, holes in exterior surfaces including roofs and walls, ripped awnings, loose materials, loose elements, or other obvious exterior defects for more than thirty (30) consecutive days. Exterior materials shall form a weather-tight surface with no holes, excessive cracks, or decayed surfaces that permit air to penetrate rooms where such rooms are designed, used, permitted, or intended for human occupancy or use.
(4) A structure shall not have weeds, trees, vines, or other vegetation growing upon it greater than twelve (12) inches in height in an untended manner for more than fifteen (15) consecutive days.
(5) All site lighting, parking areas, fences, railings, driveways, curbs, wheel stops, sidewalks, gutters, stormwater management areas and systems, and other improvements and appurtenances shall be maintained in working order and reasonably free of defects. (Ord. of 1/10/05; Ord. of 12/6/10; Ord. of 6/28/21)