Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
11 <br /> (Ord. of 2-21-1984, art. 12, ef£ 7-1-1984) <br /> Sec. 20-43. - Powers and duties of the public officer. <br /> The County Manager shall designate a Public Officer to enforce the provisions of this Ordinance and <br /> to exercise the duties and powers herein prescribed. The Public Officer is authorized to exercise such <br /> powers as may be necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of <br /> this Ordinance, including the following powers in addition to others herein granted: <br /> (a) To investigate the dwelling conditions and to inspect dwellings and dwelling units located in the <br /> County, in order to determine which dwellings and dwelling units do not meet the minimum <br /> standards contained in this Ordinance. <br /> (b) To administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and receive evidence. <br /> (c) To enter upon premises for the purpose of making examinations and inspections; provided, such <br /> entries shall be made in accordance with Section 20-44 of this Ordinance and State law,and shall <br /> be made in such manner as to cause the least possible inconvenience to the persons in <br /> possession. <br /> (d) To appoint and fix the duties of officers, agents and employees, as the Public Officer deems <br /> necessary to assist in carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance, and to delegate any of the <br /> Public Officer's functions and powers to such officers, agents and employees, subject to the <br /> general supervision of the County Manager. <br /> (e) To perform such other duties as may be prescribed herein or by the Board of County <br /> Commissioners or County Manager. <br /> (Ord. of 2-21-1984, art. 13, eff. 7-1-1984) <br /> Sec. 20-44. - Inspection; duty of owners and occupants. <br /> (a) The Public Officer is hereby authorized to enter, examine, and survey in a reasonable manner all <br /> dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units and the premises associated therewith to <br /> determine if there exist upon such premises conditions which do not meet the standards contained in <br /> this Ordinance, as follows: <br /> (1) Whenever it appears to the Public Officer (on their own motion) there is reasonable cause to <br /> believe that unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise hazardous or unlawful conditions may exist upon <br /> such premises. Reasonable cause is established where; <br /> (i) the landlord or owner has a history of more than two verified violations of this Ordinance <br /> within a 12-month period (for purposes of this subsection, a violation shall be deemed verified <br /> upon issuance of a decision or order of the Public Officer pursuant to 20-45, or upon issuance of <br /> a warning or civil penalty pursuant to 20-48), <br /> (ii) there has been a petition that substandard conditions exist within the building or there has <br /> been a request that the building be inspected, <br /> (iii) the inspection department has actual knowledge of an unsafe condition within the building, <br /> or <br /> (iv) violations of this Ordinance are visible from the outside of the property. <br /> (2) Whenever a petition is filed with the Public Officer charging that any dwelling or dwelling unit <br /> contains conditions that do not meet minimum standards contained in this Ordinance. The <br /> following may act by petition: (i) a public authority; (ii) at least five residents of the County <br /> regarding any renter-occupied dwelling.The following may act by petition provided that the person <br /> identifies themself to the Public Officer: any one occupant of a dwelling unit which is renter- <br /> occupied regarding that dwelling unit. <br />