15.12.140 Permit—Fees—Work commenced without permit—Penalty.
A special investigation shall be made before a permit is issued for any work for which a permit is required by this title that has commenced without first obtaining said permit. An investigation fee of five hundred dollars or triple the permit fee, whichever is greater, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. This fee is an additional, punitive fee and shall not apply to any county permit fee that may subsequently be issued. Payment of the investigation fee does not vest the illegal work with any legitimacy, nor does it establish any right to a county permit for continued development of that project. If the work remains illegal for ninety days after service of a stop work order, it shall be considered hazardous and dangerous, and be abated in conformance with the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 Edition. (Ord. TLS 10-09-41B Exh. A (part): Res. TLS 04-41 Exh. A (part): Ord. TLS 01-02-06B Exh. A (part))