Planning Commission to Consider Code Enforcement

Friday, September 23  at 8:45 a.m.in Friday Harbor

Notice is hereby given that the San Juan County Planning Commission will continue their deliberations on an ordinance amending the Code Enforcement provisions of the San Juan County Code.

The proposed ordinance:

• defines a purpose;
• describes applicable violations;
• clarifies the county’s authority in abating violations; defines public nuisance;
• describes the initiation of an enforcement action; refers to the requirements for right-of-entry;
• describes the process and content regarding warning notices;
• describes the content, sequence, effective date, and
• applicable requirements regarding notices of violation; lists monetary penalties for both notices of violation and the violation of stop work orders;
• describes the process for the reduction of monetary penalties;
• explains the process and requirements for appealing a notice of violation, including the hearing procedures; describes the process for requesting an extended compliance date;
• describes the conditions which qualify for a stop work order and the content, sequence, and requirements for appealing a stop work order;
• describes the conditions which qualify for the issuance of an emergency order,
• including monetary penalties and other legal remedies; lists the methods of service for notices and orders, including signage requirements and the effective date; defines the final order for enforcement and options for remedy or abatement;
• establishes the county’s ability to collect monetary penalties;
• defines repeat violators and repeat violations, subject to elevated monetary penalties for violating stop work orders;
• defines the certificate of noncompliance;
• describes the conditions under which a permit may be revoked;
• prohibits tampering with posted documents;
• establishes the county’s authority to abate violations and recover the cost of abatement
• ;establishes the county’s authority to impose liens for civil penalties and the cost of abatement;
• describes requirements for filing and recording a lien; describes elements of foreclosure of a lien;
• describes the county’s duty in regard to liability; establishes the violation of certain San Juan County Codes as a misdemeanor;
• describes enforcement regarding illegal divisions of land;
• and provides for severability, an effective date of 120 days after adoption, and codification;
• and repeals SJCC Chapter 18.100.

The deliberations will begin at or after 8:45 a.m., Friday, September 23, 2011 downstairs in the Islanders Bank Annex, 225 Blair Ave., Friday Harbor. Copies of the ordinance can be viewed or downloaded from the County web site at www.sanjuanco.com/cdp/default.aspx?dept=CDP listname=CodeEnforcement.

For more information contact Chris Laws, San Juan County CD&P, PO Box 947, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250, (360) 370-7587, chrisl@sanjuanco.com.