Florida Florida Statutes

§ 162.30 — Civil actions to enforce county and municipal ordinances

FS § 162.30Ch. 162

Statute text

In addition to other provisions of law authorizing the enforcement of county and municipal codes and ordinances, a county or municipality may enforce any violation of a county or municipal code or ordinance by filing a civil action in the same manner as instituting a civil action. The action shall be brought in county or circuit court, whichever is appropriate depending upon the relief sought. Counties and municipalities are authorized and required to pay any counsel appointed by the court to represent a private party in such action if the provision of counsel at public expense is required by the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Florida and ifRID=FS20250162.21 --#">162.21(1) and (2), may issue a notice to appear at any hearing conducted by a county court if the officer, based upon personal investigation, has reasonable cause to believe that the person has violated a code or ordinance. A notice to appear means a written order issued by a code enforcement officer in lieu of physical arrest requiring a person accused of violating the law to appear in a designated court or governmental office at a specified date and time. If a person issued a notice to appear under this section refuses to sign such notice, the code enforcement officer has no authority to arrest such person.

(2)Prior to issuing a notice to appear, a code enforcement officer shall provide written notice to the person that the person has committed a violation of a code or ordinance and shall establish a reasonable time period within which the person must correct the violation. Such time period shall be no fewer than 5 days and no more than 30 days. If, upon personal investigation, a code enforcement officer finds that the person has not corrected the violation within the prescribed time period, a code enforcement officer may issue a notice to appear to the person who has committed the violation. A code enforcement officer is not required to provide the person with a reasonable time period to correct the violation prior to issuing a notice to appear and may immediately issue a notice to appear if a repeat violation is found, or if the code enforcement officer has reason to believe that the violation presents a serious threat to the public health, safety, or welfare or that the violator is engaged in violations of an itinerant or transient nature, as defined by local code or ordinance within the jurisdiction, or if the violation is irreparable or irreversible.

Legislative history

s. 1, ch. 96-385; s. 7, ch. 99-360.