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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="13-904" title_number="13" title_name="Other Powers of Counties -- Regulatory" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Regulation of Building, Housing, and Related Occupations">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall adopt a building code that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>specifies standards for constructing, maintaining, or repairing buildings and structures; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>substantially conforms to the basic building code adopted by the International Code Council.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>After a hearing on the proposed changes, the county commissioners may amend the code.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>In Charles County, the building code adopted under this section does not apply to any farm buildings or any other outbuilding with a cost of less than $2,500.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County may impose a fee for a permit issued under the building code.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall appoint a building inspector and assistant inspectors at salaries as provided in the county budget.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The inspectors shall enforce the building code and the related regulations.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>provide penalties for a violation of the building code; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>abate a violation of the building code.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the County Commissioners of Charles County abate a violation of the building code, the county commissioners may assess against the property the reasonable costs of the abatement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The assessment shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>added to the annual tax bill of the property to be collected in the same manner as ordinary taxes are collected; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>subject to the same interest and penalty for nonpayment as provided by law for the nonpayment of county taxes.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The assessment is a lien against the property from the date of assessment until paid.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
