This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "emergency and hazard placard posting ordinance."
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)
The purpose of this Chapter is to authorize the establishment of a standard emergency and hazard placard system for use when buildings and structures exhibit actual or threatened dangerous conditions, and to authorize enforcement and penalty procedures in the event building owners, occupants or other persons remove, alter, cover or otherwise fail to comply with the posted placards. This Chapter is not intended to supersede, replace, or preempt any other legal remedy or procedure available to the City, including but not limited to nuisance abatement procedures authorized by local and state laws and regulations.
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)
A.
The Chief Building Official is hereby authorized to establish, maintain and utilize a standard emergency and hazard placard system. The emergency and hazard placard system shall include designated placards for posting on any building or structure, or portion thereof, deemed unsafe or dangerous by the Chief Building Official or his or her authorized representative due to the existence of an actual or threatened dangerous condition or hazard. The placards must generally describe the type of damage or hazard present and restrictions on continued occupancy, if any.
B.
The Chief Building Official may deem a building or structure unsafe or dangerous if, in the Official's judgement, conditions exist that pose a threat to life, health, property, or public welfare. Such building or structure conditions include, but are not limited to:
1.
Violation of any provision of DMC Title 16, Building and Construction.
2.
Violation of any applicable state law or regulation.
3.
Damage caused by fire, earthquake, flood, or other disaster.
4.
Structurally unsafe or poses risk of collapse.
5.
Any other condition that presents a threat to public health or safety.
C.
The emergency and hazard placard system and use of any designated placards may be amended or modified as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Chief Building Official.
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)
Once a placard has been attached to a building or structure, it may not be removed, altered, or destroyed except by an authorized representative of the City, or upon written authorization from the City. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any other person, firm, corporation, or other entity to ignore, disregard, remove, alter, destroy, cover up, or fail to comply with the terms and use restrictions of any placard issued and posted pursuant to this chapter.
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, lessee, sublessor, sublessee, or occupant, who violates, or causes or permits to be violated, any portion of the provisions of this chapter is subject to any or all of the following:
A.
Such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor offense for each day and every day, or portion thereof, during which any violation is committed, continued or permitted, and upon conviction shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both.
B.
Such person shall be subject to summary or administrative nuisance abatement by the city, and be subject to fines, civil penalties, fees and costs, including reasonable attorney fees imposed by the city pursuant to the summary or administrative abatement procedures contained in the Dixon Municipal Code or any other provisions of law.
C.
Such person shall be prosecuted in a civil action, criminal action, or both brought by the city. The city attorney or other authorized legal representative may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin or prosecute any nuisance violation or other violation of this chapter.
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)
In addition to any other enforcement mechanism prescribed by law, this chapter may be enforced by the issuance of administrative citations pursuant to the administrative citation ordinance (Chapter 9.01 DMC, Article VI).
(Ord. 25-007, 12/2/2025)