Kern County Municipal Code Art. V Enforcement

Every person owning, controlling or occupying any house, mobilehome, store, storeroom or building displaying or using any street address or street sign contrary to the provisions of this chapter, or failing to display the street address assigned under the provisions of this chapter or failing to install a required street sign within the time herein provided, is guilty of an infraction and is subject to citation by the sheriffs department, fire department or the code compliance section of the engineering and survey services department and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00).

(Ord. G-6999 § 12, 2003: prior code § 5971)

If any county official becomes aware of a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the county official shall notify the planning director of the violation in writing. The planning director shall notify the affected property owner, in writing, of the alleged violation and provide the property owner with thirty (30) days to cure, or otherwise respond to, the alleged violation. After this thirty (30) day period, if the planning director confirms that a violation still exists, the planning director shall notify the property owner, in writing, that the county cannot issue permits or licenses until the violation has been cured and that the owner is now subject to citation, subject to appeal, as provided for in this chapter. After the expiration of the appeal period specified in Section 12.36.140, the planning director shall provide written notification to the county official or department that initiated the referral informing that official or department that a violation continues to exist and that the county official may issue a citation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the violation did not result from a referral by another county department with citation authority, the planning director shall notify the appropriate department that a citation may be issued. For notification purposes, notification shall be deemed sufficient if written notification is sent by first class mail to the affected property owner(s) as indicated on the latest list of the equalized assessment role maintained by the Kern County Assessor's Office.

(Ord. G-6999§ 13, 2003: Prior code § 5972)

Any individual property owner whose property is affected by the implementation of this chapter may appeal the determination of violation by the planning director to the planning commission. Such an appeal must be received by the planning director no later than twenty (20) days after the planning director mails the notice provided for in Section 12.36.130. No citation shall be issued by any county official until after the expiration of this appeal period or, if an appeal is filed, until after the matter has been decided by the planning commission. The decision of the planning commission shall be final, unless within twenty (20) days from the date of the planning commission's decision, the decision of the planning commission is appealed to the board of supervisors by filing an appeal with the planning director. The decision of the board of supervisors shall be final. The appealing party shall be mailed written notice of the time and date the appeal will be considered at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date the appeal will be considered.

(Ord. G-6999 § 14, 2003)