Salinas Municipal Code Art. I-N Delegation of Authority; Enforcement and Penalties

The building official of the City of Salinas is hereby designated to administer, implement and enforce this Article I and all codes and standards adopted and set forth herein.

(Ord. No. 2690(NCS), § 1, 10-28-2025, eff. 1-1-2026)

(a) Any person who violates a provision of this article or who fails to comply with any of the requirements set forth herein or in any of the codes adopted in this article or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under this article, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine or not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense. Alternatively, and in the discretion of the city attorney, any such violation may be prosecuted administratively pursuant to the city's administrative remedies ordinance or pursuant to any other remedy available under the law or in equity.

(b) The application of the above penalty shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions.

(Ord. No. 2690(NCS), § 1, 10-28-2025, eff. 1-1-2026)

Costs of enforcement, including administrative costs, penalties and attorney's fees shall be borne by and shall become a personal obligation of the property owner, property owner's agent, operator, occupant, and/or the responsible person or entity and may be recoverable by the city by all available legal remedies. In addition to this personal obligation and all other remedies provided by law, the city may collect any judgment, fee, cost or charge, including any permit fees, fines, late charges or interest incurred by it in enforcing the provisions of this chapter. In the event any such costs remain unpaid after ninety days, the same shall constitute a lien or, in the alternative, an assessment against the real property on which the violation occurred. The cost of enforcement shall constitute an assessment against the respective lots or parcels of land on which such violation exists, and as thus made and confirmed shall constitute a lien on the property for the amount of such assessments, respectively, until paid. Such lien shall, for all purposes, be on parity with the lien of state, county and city taxes.

(Ord. No. 2690(NCS), § 1, 10-28-2025, eff. 1-1-2026)