Oregon Statutes 455.157 – Process for municipal imposition of monetary penalties
(1) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that enforcement of the state building code in a fair, equitable and uniform manner throughout this state is a matter of state concern.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 455.157
- Department: means the Department of Consumer and Business Services. See Oregon Statutes 455.010
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Municipality: means a city, county or other unit of local government otherwise authorized by law to administer a building code. See Oregon Statutes 455.010
- State building code: means the combined specialty codes. See Oregon Statutes 455.010
(2) If a municipality administers a building inspection program under ORS § 455.148 or 455.150, a monetary penalty assessed under the program for a violation must be assessed as a civil penalty. This subsection does not prohibit a municipality from charging a violator an increased permit fee or investigative fee, seeking injunctive relief from a violation or taking any enforcement action that does not include a monetary penalty. This subsection does not limit the terms or conditions of any voluntary agreement for the resolution of a violation.
(3) A municipality may not assess a civil penalty for a violation under a building inspection program unless the municipality provides to the party that is subject to the civil penalty:
(a) Notice that:
(A) Describes the alleged violation, including any relevant code provision numbers, ordinance numbers or other identifying references;
(B) States that the municipality intends to assess a civil penalty for the violation and states the amount of the civil penalty;
(C) States that the party may challenge the assessment of a civil penalty; and
(D) Describes the means and the deadline for informing the municipality that the party is challenging the assessment of the civil penalty; and
(b) A municipal administrative process other than a judicial proceeding in a court of law, that affords the party an opportunity to challenge the civil penalty assessment before an individual, department or body that is other than the municipality’s building inspector or building official.
(4) If the municipality assesses a civil penalty for a violation under a building inspection program, the amount of the civil penalty assessed for the violation may not exceed the maximum civil penalty amount authorized for an equivalent specialty code violation under ORS § 455.895.
(5) The costs incurred by a municipality in providing notice and administrative process under this section are building inspection program administration and enforcement costs for the purpose of fee adoption under ORS § 455.210. [2009 c.476 § 2]
455.157 was added to and made a part of ORS Chapter 455 by legislative action but was not added to any smaller series therein. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.