Whenever a violation of this chapter occurs, or is alleged to have occurred, any person may file a complaint. Written complaints are preferred. Such complaints should state fully the causes and basis thereof and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer shall record such complaint, investigate and take action if found to be valid as provided by this chapter.

Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated or permitted the violation of the provisions of this chapter of the City of Lancaster, as amended, failed to comply with an order of the Zoning Hearing Board or with any conditions or safeguards imposed by the Board in granting approval of a special exception or variance, or failed to secure any permit or certificate of zoning compliance required by this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the City of Lancaster, pay a judgment of not more than $500, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by the City of Lancaster as a result thereof. No judgment shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation by the district justice. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgement, the City of Lancaster may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation, unless the district justice determining that there has been a violation further determines that there was a good faith basis for the person, partnership or corporation violating this chapter to have believed that there was no such violation, in which event there shall be deemed to have been only one such violation until the fifth day following the date of the determination of a violation by the district justice, and thereafter each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation. All judgments, costs and reasonable attorney fees collected for the violation of this chapter shall be paid over to the City of Lancaster.

In the case of any building, structure, landscaping or land which is, or is proposed to be, erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted, maintained or used in violation of this chapter, the City of Lancaster, or any aggrieved owner or tenant of real property who shows that his property or person will be substantially affected by the alleged violation, in addition to other remedies, may institute any appropriate action or proceeding to prevent, restrain, correct or abate such building, structure, landscaping or land, or to prevent, in or about such premises, any act, conduct, business or use constituting a violation. When any such action is instituted by a landowner or tenant, notice of that action shall be served upon the City of Lancaster at least 30 days prior to the time the action is begun by serving a copy of the complaint on the Lancaster City Council. No such action may be maintained until such notice has been given.