City of Onalaska, WI Enforcement

To compensate the City for inspection and administrative costs related to the enforcement of this chapter, an escalating fee established by the Common Council through resolution may be charged for any reinspection following the initial inspection which resulted in an order for corrective action and the first reinspection to determine compliance with an order for corrective action issued hereunder. There shall be no reinspection fee for a final inspection indicating compliance or for a reinspection occurring during the period of an approved time extension granted for good cause and involving a good-faith effort on the part of the property owner to comply with the order.

Reinspection fees which are not paid by or on behalf of the property owner within 30 days of mailing an invoice to the property owner of record on the City tax roll shall be charged and collected as a special assessment against the real estate upon which the reinspections were made and shall be a lien upon the real estate until paid in full, with interest accruing on the unpaid balance at the rate of 7% per annum. There shall be an administrative fee as set forth on the City's Fee Schedule added to the charge and special assessment to cover the administrative costs of charging and specially assessing the property.

Violation penalties. Any person who shall violate a provision of this code shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 and, in addition, shall pay the costs and expenses of prosecution. Each day such violation continues shall be considered a separate offense. Failure to promptly pay said fine shall subject the violator to be sentenced to the county jail for a period not to exceed 60 days.

Abatement of violation. The imposition of the penalties herein prescribed shall not preclude the City Attorney from instituting appropriate action to restrain, correct, or abate a violation, or to prevent illegal occupancy of a structure or premises, or to stop an illegal act, conduct business, or utilization of the structure or premises.