§ 7½-29. Authority of officers.

(a)

"Code enforcement officer" means any designated employee or agent of the city whose duty it is to enforce codes or ordinances enacted by the city.

(b)

A code enforcement officer is authorized to issue a citation to a person, or post notice on a property, when the officer has reasonable cause to believe that a code violation has been committed by that person or on that property so long as the violation is open and obvious or in plain view of the officer.

(c)

If a violation is not open and obvious or in plain view, but the code enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a code violation exists, and the owner or possessor of the property upon which such violation is believed to exist refuses to consent to an inspection of the premises, then the code enforcement officer must first obtain a search warrant or an administrative inspection warrant in accordance with F.S. ch. 933, as it currently exists or may be amended from time to time, prior to entering upon such private property and inspecting the premises for the violation. The inspection of the property shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of F.S. ch. 933.

(Ord. No. 98O-11-181, § 1, 12-14-98)