[Amended 5-3-1994 ATM; 5-10-2004 ATM, Art. 24]
[Amended 5-9-2022 ATM, Art. 16]
This bylaw shall be enforced by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer, as agent for the Select Board, who shall take such action as may be necessary to enforce full compliance with the provisions of this bylaw and of permits and variances issued hereunder, including notification of noncompliance and initiation of legal action through the Town Counsel.
A. 
Buildings, structures or signs may not be erected, substantially altered, moved or changed in use, and land may not be substantially altered or changed in principal use, without certification by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer that such action is in compliance with then-applicable zoning, or without review by him regarding whether all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by federal, state or local law. Issuance of a building permit or certificate of occupancy, where required under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Building Code, may serve as such certification.
B. 
Prior to the issuance of certificate of occupancy, the designated street number will be affixed to the building or to a signpost, either of which is clearly visible from the public way or way from which the lot gets its frontage.
Whoever violates any provision of this bylaw shall be subject to the following procedure, which will govern the enforcement of this bylaw:
A. 
A complaint form, available at the office of the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town of Norwell, shall be completed, signed and provided to the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town.
B. 
Within 14 days of the receipt of said complaint by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer's office, the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer will investigate said complaint and respond to the complainant.
C. 
If the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer determines that a violation of this bylaw exists, a cease-and-desist order shall be issued to the party found in violation within 14 days of receipt of the complaint.
D. 
The cease-and-desist order shall name the party alleged to be in violation, shall describe the nature of the violation and shall reference the provision(s) of the bylaw found to be in violation.
E. 
The cease-and-desist order shall be served upon the party found to be in violation by delivery in-hand to said party and/or by posting in conspicuous places upon the property where the violation is found to exist.
F. 
The party named in said order shall correct the violation described in said order within seven days, said seven days to be extended by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer if the violation cannot be corrected within that time.
G. 
Failure of the party named in the complaint to eliminate the violation within the time defined in Subsection F shall result in the imposition of fines running from $50 to $300 per day for each such day or portion thereof which the violation continues to exist as defined in Subsection F, in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) 
Day No. 1: $50.
(2) 
Day No. 2: $100.
(3) 
Day No. 3: $200.
(4) 
Day No. 4 and each day thereafter: $300.
H. 
If the party named in the complaint objects to the issuance of a cease-and-desist order or requires additional time to eliminate the violation beyond that granted by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer under Subsection F that party may appeal to the Board of Appeals for the Town of Norwell within seven days which shall consider said appeal and issue an order relative to the same.
I. 
No fine will accrue during the pendency of any appeal to the Board of Appeals regardless of the Board's ultimate disposition of said appeal.
J. 
Noncriminal disposition of violations of Zoning Bylaw. The Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer shall have the duty to enforce the Town's Zoning Bylaw and may institute appropriate civil or criminal proceedings, or both, in the fulfillment of such duty. In addition, and as an alternative to such methods of enforcement, the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer may, at his discretion, enforce the provisions of this bylaw in the manner provided in MGL c. 40, § 21D.
[5-10-2004 ATM, Art. 25]