SB631 HFAT Shott 4-6

Delegate Shott moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

Eng. Senate Bill No. 631 -- A BILL to amend and reenact §8-12-13 and §8-12-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating generally to municipal ordinances and procedures; creating a procedure for misdemeanor prosecutions of violations of municipal ordinances; defining terms; providing for the designation of enforcement agencies; providing a procedure for code enforcement agency officials to enter premises for investigation or inspection of a structure, dwelling or building; granting plenary power to the governing body of every municipality to adopt an ordinance providing for the vacating, closing, removal or demolition of specific dwellings, structures or buildings by a municipality in the absence of owner agreement or court order with specific requirements; providing for notice to the owner of the right to apply to the circuit court for a temporary injunction or other similar relief; requiring a hearing to be held within twenty days if the owner makes such application to the circuit court; requiring an owner to pay a bond into court if the owner seeks a continuance of the hearing seeking a temporary injunction or other similar relief; allowing for the disbursement of moneys paid into court by an owner if a court finds that the property is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public safety or welfare; permitting a governing body of a municipality to file a lien against the real property for an amount that reflects all costs incurred by a municipality for repairing, altering or improving, or of vacating and closing, removing or demolishing any dwelling or building; permitting a municipality to institute a civil action in circuit court against a landowner or other responsible party to obtain an order to take corrective action up to and including demolition of any structure, dwelling or building that is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public safety or welfare and permitting a municipality to recover all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the municipality with respect to the property and for reasonable attorney fees and court costs incurred in the prosecution of the action; providing for service of notices of violations; and providing for a procedure to prosecute ordinances adopted under the section pertaining to regulating the repair, alteration, improvement, closing, demolition, etc., of structures, dwelling or buildings that are unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public safety or welfare. 

Adopted

Rejected