It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to construct, alter, repair, move, remove, demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building, structure or portion thereof in violation of any provision of this chapter or fail in any manner to comply with a notice, directive or order of the Building Inspector or to construct, alter, use or occupy any building, structure or part thereof in any manner not permitted by an approved building permit or certificate of occupancy.

Any person who shall fail to comply with a written order of the Building Inspector within five days following written notice served by mail or by personal service by the Building Inspector that a violation of any provision of this chapter exists, and any owner, builder, architect, tenant, contractor, subcontractor, construction superintendent or their agents or any person taking part or assisting in the construction or use of any building who shall knowingly violate any of the applicable provisions of this chapter or any lawful order, notice, directive, permit or certificate shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50 per day or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both, and in addition shall pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Town in determining such violation. Each and every day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate violation. Any violation that is only temporarily corrected shall constitute a continuation of the original violation and be punishable accordingly without the necessity of reservice of a notice to remedy said violation.

Penalties shall be collected and violations of this chapter shall be prosecuted in the manner prescribed by law or ordinance effective in the Town of Wallkill.

Except as provided otherwise by law, such violation shall not be a crime and the penalty or punishment imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal penalty or punishment and shall not impose any disability upon or affect or impair the credibility as a witness, or otherwise, of any person convicted thereof.

This section shall not apply to violations of the provisions of the State Building Construction Code punishable under § 382 of the Executive Law of the State of New York, nor to violations of the provisions of the Multiple Residence Law punishable under § 304 of the Multiple Residence Law of the State of New York.

Appropriate actions and proceedings may be taken at law or in equity to prevent unlawful construction or to restrain, correct or abate a violation or to prevent illegal occupancy of a building, structure or premises or to prevent illegal acts, conduct or business in or about any premises; and these remedies shall be in addition to the penalties prescribed in the preceding section.