A. Authorization of Director. The Director is authorized and empowered to enforce this chapter.
B. Final Inspection Required. Before any use may be made of a sign authorized under the provisions of this chapter, a final inspection of the premises must be obtained from the Director to assure compliance with the evidence upon which the sign permit was issued.
C. Authority of Building Officers. Building Officers are empowered, during reasonable hours, to lawfully enter upon any premises or into any structure or addition to such structure for which a sign permit has been issued but which has not received a final certificate of use or when necessary to do so in the performance of any duty imposed upon them by this code. If entry is refused or not obtained, a Building Officer is authorized to pursue remedies as provided by law or this code.
D. Enforcement Actions. Any Building Officer is authorized to exercise the police power of the Village in order to secure compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Enforcement actions shall include, but not be limited to, the issuance of a stop work order, permit revocation, prosecution for violations, the bringing of a civil action to recover any penalty of fine, or the institution of the appropriate action at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such violation or to require the removal of the unlawful use or act. The filing of a civil action to recover any penalty or fine shall preclude incarceration or imprisonment. Prior written notice of a violation shall not be required for the initiation of enforcement actions under this section if the violation creates any emergency or unsafe condition, if the violation is the resumption of an activity that was the subject of a written notice of violation issued within the previous thirty (30) days, or if the Building Officer determines that the violation is part of a pattern of behavior at the site which discloses a disregard for the requirements of this code.
E. Penalties--Fines.
1. Fines for Violations. Except as provided in subsection (E)(2) of this section, any person who violates a provision of this chapter shall be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) and the cost of prosecution. The village attorney or, at the direction of the village manager, the village prosecutor, may file a civil action to recover any penalty or fine against any such person; provided, however, that the filing of such civil action shall preclude incarceration or imprisonment.
2. Pre-Court Payment. Except as provided in this paragraph, any person charged with a violation of this chapter may pay directly to the Village, at the Village Hall, the minimum fine applicable to the offense charged, as established in subsection (E)(1) of this section; provided, such payment is made no later than five days before the date of a court hearing set for such violation at the request of the person receiving the citation alleging the violation. A receipt shall be issued for any pre-court payment so made and any violation for which such a pre-court payment has been made shall not be subject to further prosecution. No pre-court payments will be accepted less than five days before the scheduled court hearing date. If more than two violations are issued for the same work site in any thirty (30) day period, only the first two such violations may be subject to a pre-court payment pursuant to this paragraph.
3. Separate Offenses. Each act of violation and each day upon which a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. MC-209-98 § 2 (part), 1998: prior code § 27.22)