This Article contains the regulations pertaining to administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter, issuance of permits and certifications, inspection of property and issuance of stop work and stop use orders and enforcement of violations of the provisions of this Chapter.

This Chapter shall be administered and enforced by the Zoning Administrator who shall be appointed by the Board of Aldermen and who shall have the following duties with respect to this Chapter:

Building Permits. It shall be unlawful to commence or to proceed with the erection, construction, reconstruction, conversion, alteration, enlargement, extension, razing or moving of any building or structure or any portion thereof without first having obtained a building permit. Primary responsibility for securing the necessary permits shall be the property owner's. If the property owner should contract part or all of the proposed work, it shall be the responsibility of both the owner and the contractor to ensure that all required permits and approvals have been secured prior to any work being initiated. There may be a separate permit for each building or structure to be constructed, altered or erected except for accessory buildings which may be included in the permit for the principal building when construction is simultaneous. Any building permit under which no construction work has been commenced within six (6) months after the date of issuance of said permit or under which proposed construction has not been completed within two (2) years of the time of issuance shall expire by limitation.

Voiding Of Building Permit. A permit may be revoked by the Zoning Administrator at any time prior to the completion of the building or structure for which the same was issued, when there is departure from the plans, specifications or conditions as required under terms of the permit, that the same was procured by false representation or that any provisions of this Chapter are being violated. Written notice of such revocation shall be served upon the owner, agent or contractor or upon any person employed on the building or structure for which such permit was issued, via a stop work order, which shall be posted in a prominent location, and thereafter no such construction shall proceed.

Compliance With Permits And Certificates. Permits or certificates issued on the basis of approved plans and applications authorize only the use, arrangement and construction set forth in approved plans and applications and any other use, arrangement or construction at variance with that authorized shall be deemed a violation of this Chapter and punishable as provided herein.

Building Permits And Plats. Each application for a building permit may be required to be accompanied by a plat, in duplicate, in a form and size suitable for permanent filing and drawn to scale, showing the actual dimensions of the lot to be built upon, per the recorded plat of the land. The plat shall also show the size, shape and locations of all present and proposed buildings and such other information as may be necessary to provide for the enforcement of this Chapter. A record of the applications and plats shall be kept in the office of the Zoning Administrator.

Processing Building Permits. A building permit shall be either issued or refused by the Zoning Administrator within ten (10) days after receipt of an application or within such further period of time agreed to by the applicant. When the Zoning Administrator refuses to issue a building permit, the applicant shall receive written reasons for the refusal. The applicant may make technical corrections to the permit application and resubmit the application. A refusal by the Zoning Administrator to issue a building permit may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment.

Fence Permits And Plats. Any owner of property wanting to construct a fence in any required rear or side yard as provided above shall first file an application with the Zoning Administrator. A plan or plat of the entire property shall accompany the application and such plan must be approved by the Zoning Administrator.

Inspection Of Land And Buildings. The Zoning Administrator, City Engineer or other authorized personnel of the City in the performance of their functions may inspect, examine and survey any building or land use and place notices concerning the provisions of this Chapter.

In case any building or structure is erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted or maintained, or any building, structure or land is used in violation of this Chapter or other regulation made under authority conferred hereby, the proper local authorities of the municipality, in addition to other remedies, may institute any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent such unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, conversion, maintenance or use, to restrain, correct, or abate such violation, to prevent the occupancy of said building, structure or land, or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in or about such premises. Such regulations shall be enforced by the Zoning Administrator or any authorized deputy who is empowered to cause any building, structure, place, or premises to be inspected and examined and to order in writing the remedying of any condition found to exist therein or thereat in violation of any provision of the regulations made under authority of this Chapter.

The owner or general agent of a building or premises where a violation of any provision of said regulations has been committed or shall exist, or the lessee or tenant of an entire building or entire premises where such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the owner, general agent, lessee or tenant of any part of the building or premises in which such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the general agent, architect, builder, contractor or any other person who commits, takes part or assists in any such violation or who maintains any building or premises in which any such violation shall exist shall be guilty of an ordinance violation punishable by a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) and not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each and every day that such violation continues. If the offense be willful, the punishment shall be a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for each and every day that such violation continues or by imprisonment for ten (10) days for each and every day such violation shall continue, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

Any such person who having been served with an order to remove any such violation shall fail to comply with said order within ten (10) days after such service or shall continue to violate any provision of the regulations made under authority of this Chapter in the respect named in such order shall also be subject to a civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

In addition to the penalties herein above authorized and established, the City Attorney shall take such other actions at law or in equity as may be required to halt, terminate, remove or otherwise eliminate any violations of this Chapter.