(A)
Every owner shall periodically inspect all buildings and premises that are owned by them and intended for human habitation or human use, to ensure compliance with this chapter.
(B) Every occupant or tenant of a building for human habitation or human use shall give the owner thereof, or his or her agent at all reasonable hour's access for the purpose of making repairs or alterations as are necessary to effect compliance with the provisions of this chapter or with any lawful order issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(C) For the purpose of making inspections, upon determination of a potential violation by an enforcement officer as defined in this chapter, a code enforcement officer is hereby authorized to enter, examine and survey for human habitation or human use, at all reasonable times, all unoccupied buildings and premises outwardly appearing to come within the definition herein of abandoned manufactured home.
(D) When permission to inspect a dwelling or its premises is denied, the Code Enforcement Officer shall obtain a warrant to inspect, as G.S. § 153A-121(a) grants police powers to the county. Further, where a non-owner tenant-occupant grants permission to inspect, no warrant shall be required, pursuant to In Re Dwelling, 24 N.C. App. 17 (consent of the tenant-occupant in actual possession and control of the premises is sufficient to authorize an inspection without a warrant, notwithstanding the fact that the owner has objected to the warrantless search). When faced with a situation where permission to inspect is denied, Code Enforcement Officers are advised to seek the advice of the County Attorney, prior to seeking a warrant to inspect.
(E) Additionally, a representative from the Planning/Zoning and Code Enforcement Department may inspect properties at the request of the property owner(s) for the purpose of applying for assistance to voluntarily remove an abandoned or dilapidated manufactured home.
(F) Code Enforcement Officers shall perform a site inspection to verify the status of a manufactured home. If the inspection reveals that the criteria of an abandoned or dilapidated manufactured home are present, the home will be declared as such.
(Ord. passed 9-14-2009; Ord. passed 6-7-2021)