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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="13-704" title_number="13" title_name="Other Powers of Counties -- Regulatory" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Environmental Issues">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County may provide for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the enforcement and correction of violations of an erosion and sediment control ordinance for Calvert County;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the collection of the costs of any enforcement and corrective actions authorized in item (1) of this subsection; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the enforcement of this section and of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance by the imposition of civil penalties provided under subsection (d) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Calvert County shall send written notice, by certified mail or personal service, of noncompliance to a permittee and the surety if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>erosion and sediment control work does not comply with a permit or approved plans; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the county wants to enforce the security that was required for the work.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The notice shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the nature of the corrections required; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the time within which the corrections shall be made.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The county shall post a stop–work notice on the site if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the permittee does not act on the notice within the time specified in the notice; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the situation is of a critical environmental nature.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If a stop–work notice is posted on a site, no further work is authorized on the site, except as allowed by the county engineer or the county engineer’s designee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If the permittee does not begin and diligently continue the corrections within 5 days after receiving written notice:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the permittee is in default of the obligations imposed under this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the county engineer may take immediate action to enforce the security.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the county engineer or the county engineer’s designee determines that there is imminent and substantial environmental harm because of the instability of the site, Calvert County may perform work at the site sufficient to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>eliminate any public safety problem; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>provide environmental stabilization and protection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A grading permit authorizes employees of the county engineering department or the department’s approved designees to enter the site to undertake work in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A charge for the cost of work performed by the county or its contractors under this section shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>be imposed on the owner of the property in the same manner as county real property taxes are imposed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>have the same priority rights as county real property taxes;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>bear the same interest and penalties as county real property taxes; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>be treated as county real property taxes are treated.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The property owner shall be charged the maximum legal rate of interest.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A violation of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance of Calvert County is a civil violation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each separate day that a violation of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance remains uncorrected is a separate violation, subject to an additional citation and fine in the amount required under paragraph (3) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The fine for a civil violation of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for a first violation, $250;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for a second violation, $500;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>for a third violation, $750; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>for a fourth or subsequent violation, $1,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person who performs erosion and sediment control work in Calvert County without first obtaining a permit is in violation of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In addition to the civil penalties provided under subsection (d) of this section, if a person performs erosion and sediment control work without first obtaining a permit, the county may enforce this section and take the same actions as those provided in this section for permit violations, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the issuance of stop–work orders; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>performing work on site to eliminate any public safety problem and to provide environmental stabilization and protection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A charge for the cost of work performed in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be imposed as provided in subsection (c)(3) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On verification of a violation of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance, an inspector from the engineering department may deliver or mail a citation to the person responsible for the violation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The citation is notification to the responsible person that the person has been assessed a civil fine that is due and payable to Calvert County, subject to the person’s right to stand trial in District Court.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The citation shall be on a form adopted by the County Commissioners of Calvert County and shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the date of issuance of the citation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the name and address of the person charged;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the section number of the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance that has been violated;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the nature of the violation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the time and location of the violation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>the amount of the civil fine assessed;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>the manner, location, and time period in which the fine is to be paid;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>if applicable, a notice that each day of continued violation is a separate violation subject to additional citation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>the name, business address, and telephone number of the county official familiar with the case; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>a notice of the person’s right to elect to stand trial for the violation, and instructions, including relevant time frames, necessary to exercise this right to stand trial.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person who receives a citation may elect to stand trial for the offense by filing notice of intent to stand trial with Calvert County at least 5 days before the payment date specified in the citation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>After receiving the notice of intention to stand trial, the county shall forward a copy of the citation and notice to the District Court.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>After receiving the citation, the District Court shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>schedule the case for trial; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>notify the defendant of the trial date.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Calvert County shall send a notice of the violation to the last known address of a person who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>receives a citation for a violation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>fails to pay the fine by the date of payment specified in the citation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>fails to file a timely notice of intention to stand trial.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If, after 15 days from the date the notice is sent, the citation is not satisfied, the person is liable for an additional fine not exceeding twice the original fine.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If, after 35 days from the date the notice is sent, the citation is not satisfied, the county may request adjudication of the case through the District Court.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the county requests adjudication under paragraph (3) of this subsection, the District Court shall schedule the case for trial and summon the defendant to appear.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The County Commissioners of Calvert County may designate the County Attorney or the State’s Attorney to represent the interests of the county and prosecute a civil violation under this section before the District Court.</text>
  </level>
</section>
