Town of Bel Air, MD Article V Duties and Powers of Code Official

§ 301-12 Designation of code official.

The Town shall designate a code official. The code official or designee shall enforce the provisions of this code.

§ 301-13 Notices and orders.

The code official shall issue all notices and orders necessary to ensure compliance with this code.

§ 301-14 Interference with inspections.

If a property owner, tenant or operator of a structure refuses, impedes, inhibits, interferes with, restricts, or obstructs entry and free access to any part of the structure or premises where inspection authorized by this code is sought, the code official or designee may seek, in a court of competent jurisdiction, an order that the property owner, tenant, or operator cease and desist from the interference.

§ 301-15 Right of entry.

The code official or designee is authorized to enter a structure or premises at any reasonable time upon providing prior notice to the property owner and tenant for the purpose of making inspections and performing duties under this code, such as but not limited to instances where there is an imminent threat to health and safety due to unsafe conditions.

§ 301-16 Alterations and repairs.

A. The code official or designee shall have the authority to require and approve any alterations or repairs necessary to bring a structure or premises into compliance with this code. The determination of what may be necessary to bring the premises into compliance shall take into consideration the use of alternatives and equivalent approaches as provided for in this code.

B. The code official or designee shall have the authority to approve, upon the request of the property owner, changes in alterations or repairs in the field when conditions are encountered which make the originally approved work impractical, if the changes in approved work can be readily determined to be in compliance with this code.

C. The changes shall be specifically documented by the property owner or by his or her agent or code official, describing the change in work and the reasons and justification for the change, and shall be filed with the permit for the project.

§ 301-17 Access by property owner or operator.

A tenant of a structure or premises shall give the property owner or operator, or agent or employee, access to any part of the structure or its premises at reasonable times upon being given reasonable notice for the purpose of making the inspection, maintenance, repairs, or alterations as are necessary to comply with the provisions of this code.

§ 301-18 Credentials.

The code official shall disclose his or her identification for the purpose of inspecting a structure or premises.

§ 301-19 Coordination of enforcement.

A. The inspection of structures and premises, the issuance of notices and orders, and the enforcement of them shall be the responsibility of the code official.

B. Whenever, in the opinion of the code official initiating an inspection under this code, it is deemed necessary or desirable to have inspections by any other governmental official or agency, the code official shall make a reasonable effort to arrange for the coordination of the inspections so as to minimize the number of visits by inspectors.

C. The code official shall confer with the other governmental official or agency for the purpose of eliminating conflicting orders before any are issued.

D. The code official may not, however, cause the delay of the issuance of any emergency orders by a governmental official or agency which the governmental official or agency determines must be issued.

§ 301-20 Additional rules and regulations.

The Director of the Department shall have power to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to interpret and implement the provisions of the code to further its intent.