The Dillon County Council recently passed the third reading to amend Ordinance #12-07 providing for the closing or demolition of dwellings unfit for human habitation.
Dillon County desires to amend the ordinance to designate the public officer responsible for carrying out the ordinance, to clarify the persons allowed to make a written complaint, to set a fee schedule, and to allow for owners of unfit dwellings to enter into a consent order with the county.
The amendments include the following:
Whenever it appears to the public officer that any dwelling within the county is unfit for human habitation and the building is subject to a written complaint to the officer, the public officer shall make a preliminary investigation. If this preliminary investigation discloses a basis for such, the public officer may issue and cause to be served a complaint on the owner of the dwelling and any parties in interest in the dwelling. A written complaint to the public officer under this section shall only be accepted from the Sheriff of the County or citizen of the County owning property within two miles of such dwelling.
If the owner of the dwelling and any parties in interest in the dwelling agree with the charges or any orders issued concerning the dwelling, but are unable to comply with the requirements of the county officer, the County may enter into a Consent Order allowing the County to take the actions in the Consent Order that would otherwise be taken under the provisions of subsection 1 herein but without the need for any waiting periods or further hearings. The Consent Order shall include a provision that the owner and any parties in interest waive the right to further hearings or appeals as provided by this Ordinance. This Consent Order may be entered into either before or after any hearing required under this Ordinance and is subject to the fees imposed under Section E herein.
In no event shall costs allowed under this Section exceed the sum of $500.00. If the owner of the dwelling and any parties in interest in the dwelling enter into a consent order, this amount shall further be reduced as follows:
a. After a hearing has been held in the matter, costs shall not exceed $400.00.
b. Before a hearing is held in the matter, costs shall not exceed $300.00.
The phrase “county building official” is removed and substituted with “county administrator or a county official designated by the county administrator.” Except as amended, Ordinance #12-07 shall remain as enacted.
