Title 17 ZONING
Chapter 17.10 ENFORCEMENT
17.10.002 Violations.
17.10.004 Enforcement generally.
17.10.006 Investigation and notice of violation.
17.10.008 Time to comply.
17.10.010 Stop work order.
17.10.012 Emergency order.
17.10.014 Review by hearing examiner.
17.10.016 Civil penalty.
17.10.018 Criminal penalties.
17.10.020 Additional relief.
17.10.002 Violations.
A. It is a violation of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17 for any person to
initiate, maintain, or cause to be initiated or maintained, the use of any
structure, land or property within the city of Kalama without first obtaining
the permits or authorizations required for the use by the aforementioned
codes.
B. It is a violation of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17 for any person to
use, construct, locate, demolish or cause to be used, constructed, located or
demolished, any structure, land or property within the city of Kalama in any
manner that is not permitted by the terms of any permit or authorization issued
pursuant to the aforementioned codes; provided, that the terms or conditions are
explicitly stated on the permit or the approved plans.
C. It is a violation
of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17 to:
1. Remove or deface any sign, notice,
complaint or order required by or posted in accordance with this chapter and the
aforementioned codes;
2. To misrepresent any material fact in any
application, plans, or other information submitted to obtain any building or
construction authorization;
3. Fail to comply with any of the requirements
of Titles 15, 16 and/or 17, or any permit or authorization issued
thereunder.
D. Subdivision Violations.
1. Any person, firm, corporation
or association or any agency of any person, firm, corporation or association who
violates any provision of Title 16 KMC, or any authorization or approval issued
thereunder, relating to the sale, offer for sale, lease or transfer of any lot,
tract, or parcel of land, shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and each sale,
offer for sale, lease or transfer of each separate lot, tract or parcel of land
in violation of any provision of Title 16 KMC or authorization or approval
issued thereunder shall be deemed a separate and distinct
offense.
2. Whenever land within a subdivision granted final approval is
used in a manner or for a purpose which violates any provision of KMC Title 16,
or any term or condition of plat approval, then the city council may direct the
city attorney to commence an action to restrain and enjoin such use and compel
compliance with the provisions of Title 16 or with such terms and conditions of
plat approval. The costs of such action shall be taxed against the violator.
(Ord. 1138 § 5, 2004: Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.004 Enforcement generally.
A. The code enforcement officer is designated to administer and enforce
this chapter. The code enforcement officer may call upon the police, building or
other appropriate city departments to assist in enforcement. As used in this
chapter, “code enforcement officer” shall also mean his or her duly
authorized representative.
B. Upon presentation of proper credentials, the
code enforcement officer may, with the consent of the owner or occupier of a
building or premises, or pursuant to a lawfully issued inspection warrant, enter
at reasonable times any building or premises subject to the consent or warrant,
in order to perform the duties imposed by KMC Titles 15, 16 and 17.
C. This
chapter is enforced for the benefit of the health, safety, and welfare of the
general public, and not for the benefit of any particular person or class of
persons.
D. It is the intent of this chapter to place the obligation of
compliance with its requirements upon the owner, occupier or other person
responsible for the condition of the land and buildings within the scope of KMC
Titles 15, 16 and 17.
E. No provision of or any term used in this chapter is
intended to impose any duty upon the city or any of its officers or employees
which would subject them to damages in a civil action. (Ord. 1138 § 6,
2004; Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.006 Investigation and notice of violation.
A. Investigation. The code enforcement officer shall investigate any
structure or use which the officer reasonably believes does not comply with the
standards and requirements of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17.
B. Notice of
Violation. If, after investigation, the code enforcement officer determines that
the standards or requirements of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17 have been violated,
the officer may serve a notice of violation upon the owner, tenant or other
person responsible for the condition. The notice of violation shall contain the
following information:
1. A separate statement of each standard, code
provision or requirement violated;
2. What corrective action, if any, is
necessary to comply with the standards, code provision or requirements;
3. A
reasonable time for compliance;
4. A statement that (for zoning code
violations), if the violation is not already subject to criminal prosecution,
any subsequent violations may result in criminal prosecution as provided in KMC
Section 17.10.018.
C. Service. The notice shall be served on the owner,
tenant, or other person responsible for the condition by personal service,
registered mail, or certified mail with return receipt requested, addressed to
the last known address of such person. If, after a reasonable search and
reasonable efforts are made to obtain service, the whereabouts of the person(s)
is unknown or service cannot be accomplished and the code enforcement officer
makes an affidavit to that effect, then service of the notice upon such
person(s) may be made by:
1. Publishing the notice once each week for two
consecutive weeks in the city’s official newspaper; and
2. Mailing a
copy of the notice to each person named on the notice of violation by first
class mail to the last known address if known, or, if unknown, to the address of
the property involved in the proceedings.
D. Posting. A copy of the notice
shall be posted at a conspicuous place on the property, unless posting the
notice is not physically possible.
E. Other Actions May be Taken. Nothing in
this chapter shall be deemed to limit or preclude any action or proceeding taken
pursuant to KMC Sections 17.10.010, 17.10.012, 17.10.016, 17.07.018 or
17.07.020.
F. Optional Notice to Others. The code enforcement officer may
mail, or cause to be delivered to all residential and/or nonresidential rental
units in the structure or post at a conspicuous place on the property, a notice
which informs each recipient or resident about the notice of violation, stop
work order or emergency order and the applicable requirements and
procedures.
G. Amendments. A notice or order may be amended at any time
to:
1. Correct clerical errors; or
2. Cite additional authority for a
stated violation.
(Ord. 1138 § 7, 2004; Ord. 1112 § 5,
2002).
17.10.008 Time to comply.
A. Determination of Time. When calculating a reasonable time for
compliance, the code enforcement officer shall consider the following
criteria:
1. The type and degree of violation cited in the
notice;
2. The stated intent, if any, of a responsible party to take steps
to comply;
3. The procedural requirements for obtaining a permit to carry
out corrective action;
4. The complexity of the corrective action, including
seasonal considerations, construction requirements and the legal prerogatives of
landlords and tenants; and
5. Any other circumstances beyond the control of
the responsible party.
B. Order Becomes Final Unless Appealed. Except for
notices of violation citing criminal penalties, the notice of violation shall
become final, unless an appeal is filed with the city council in accordance with
KMC Section 17.10.160. There is no administrative appeal to the city council of
a notice of violation citing criminal penalties. A copy of the notice or order
may be filed with the county auditor against the property, to provide notice to
any subsequent purchasers. The code enforcement officer may choose not to file a
copy of the notice or order if the notice or order is directed only to a person
responsible for the condition of the property other than the owner. (Ord. 1112
§ 5, 2002).
17.10.010 Stop work order.
Whenever a continuing violation of this code will materially impair the
code enforcement officer’s ability to secure compliance with Titles 15, 16
and/or 17 or this chapter, or when the continuing violation threatens the health
or safety of the public, the officer may issue a stop work order specifying the
violation and prohibiting any work or other activity on the site. In addition,
the stop work order shall contain all of the elements of a notice of violation.
(Ord. 1138 § 8, 2004: Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.012 Emergency order.
Whenever any use or activity in violation of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17
threatens the health and safety of the occupants of the premises or any member
of the public, the code enforcement officer may issue an emergency order
directing that the use or activity be discontinued and the condition causing the
threat to the public health and safety be corrected. The emergency order shall
include all of the elements of a notice of violation and shall be posted in a
conspicuous place on the property. A failure to comply with an emergency order
shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
Any condition described in the
emergency order which is not corrected within the time specified in the order is
hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and the code enforcement officer shall
work together with the city attorney to abate such public nuisance under all
available means. The cost of such abatement shall be recovered from the owner or
person responsible or both, in the manner provided by law. (Ord. 1138 § 9,
2004: Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.014 Review by hearing examiner.
A. Notice of Violation (Criminal Penalties). There is no administrative
appeal of a notice of violation issued pursuant to this chapter which subjects
the violator to criminal prosecution and the imposition of criminal
penalties.
B. Notice of Violation (Civil Penalties). Any person
significantly affected by or interested in a notice of violation issued by the
code enforcement officer pursuant to this chapter which subjects the violator to
civil prosecution may obtain an appeal of the notice by requesting such appeal
within fifteen calendar days after service of the notice. When the last day of
the period so computed is Saturday, Sunday or a city holiday, the period shall
run until five p.m. on the next business day. The request shall be in writing,
and upon receipt of the appeal request, the code enforcement officer shall
forward the request to the city clerk-treasurer for consideration by the hearing
examiner.
C. At or after the appeal hearing, the hearing examiner
may:
1. Sustain the notice of violation;
2. Withdraw the notice of
violation;
3. Continue the review or appeal to a date certain for receipt of
additional information; or
4. Modify the notice of violation, which may
include an extension of time for compliance as set forth in the notice of
violation.
D. The hearing examiner shall issue a decision within twenty-one
days of the date of the completion of the appeal, and shall cause the same to be
mailed by regular first class mail to the person(s) named on the notice of the
violation, mailed to the violator(s) and appellant (if different from the
violator). If the notice of violation or order has been filed with the county
auditor, the city shall record the decision with the county auditor.
E. The
hearing examiner’s decision is the final decision of the city and no
administrative appeal of the hearing examiner’s decision is allowed. In
order to appeal the hearing examiner’s decision, a person withstanding to
appeal must file a land use petition to the court as provided in Chapter 36.70C
RCW. (Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.016 Civil penalty.
A. In addition to any other sanction or remedial procedure which may be
available, any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions
of KMC Titles 15 and/or 17 shall be subject to a cumulative penalty in the
amount of fifty dollars per day for each violation from the date set for
compliance until compliance with the notice of violation or order is
achieved.
B. The penalty imposed by this section shall be collected by civil
action brought in the name of the city. The code enforcement officer shall
notify the city attorney in writing of the name of any person subject to the
penalty, and the city attorney shall take appropriate action.
C. The
violator may show as full or partial mitigation of liability:
1. That the
violation giving rise to the action was caused by the willful act, or neglect or
abuse of another;
2. That correction of the violation was commenced promptly
upon receipt of the notice thereof, but that full compliance within the time
specified was prevented by inability to obtain necessary materials or labor,
inability to gain access to the subject structure, or other condition or
circumstance beyond the control of the violator. (Ord. 1138 § 10, 2004;
Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.018 Criminal penalties.
A. Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of
Title 17 and who has had a judgment entered against him or her pursuant to
chapter 17.10 KMC or its predecessors within the past five years shall be
subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction of a subsequent violation,
shall be fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars or be imprisoned for
a term not exceeding one year or be both fined and imprisoned. Each day of
noncompliance with any of the provisions of KMC Title 17 shall constitute a
separate offense.
B. The above criminal penalty may also be
imposed:
1. For any other violation of KMC Title 17 for which corrective
action is not possible; and
2. For any willful intentional, or bad faith
failure or refusal to comply with the standards or requirements of KMC Titles 15
and/or 17. (Ord. 1138 § 11, 2004; Ord. 1112 § 5, 2002).
17.10.020 Additional relief.
The city may also seek other legal or equitable relief to enjoin any acts
or practices and abate any condition which constitutes or will constitute a
violation of KMC Titles 15, 16 and/or 17 when civil or criminal penalties are
inadequate to effect compliance. (Ord. 1138 § 12, 2004: Ord. 1112 § 5,
2002).
<< previous | next >>