GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SENATE BILL 181
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF DALLAS, THE TOWN OF TABOR CITY, AND THE CITY OF WHITEVILLE TO ENACT A PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE AND TO ASSESS CERTAIN COSTS OF ENFORCEMENT AS A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  The Charter of the Town of Dallas, being Chapter 342 of the 1979 Session Laws, is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"ARTICLE V.
"Property Maintenance.
"Section 5.1.  Removal of Trash, Weeds; Lien.  The Town Board may require the owners of all premises, vacant or improved, to keep the same free from trash, obnoxious weeds, overgrowth, solid wastes, and stagnant water and may provide that if the owners fail to comply with any such requirement, an employee or contractor of the Town may go upon the owners' premises and perform any work that may be necessary to comply with such requirement, and the Town may charge the cost thereof against the premises upon which the work is performed.
The costs of any work performed under this section shall constitute a lien against the premises upon which the work is performed and may be collected in the same manner as taxes upon real property.  The term 'cost' as used in this section shall include interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum until the lien is paid.  Interest does not accrue until a bill for the costs becomes overdue."
Section 2. The Town Council of the Town of Tabor City may require the owners of all premises, vacant or improved, to keep the same free from trash, obnoxious weeds, overgrowth, solid wastes, and stagnant water and may provide that if the owners fail to comply with any such requirement, an employee or contractor of the Town may go upon the owners' premises and perform any work that may be necessary to comply with such requirement, and the Town may charge the cost thereof against the premises upon which the work is performed.  The costs of any work performed under this section shall constitute a lien against the premises upon which the work is performed and may be collected in the same manner as taxes upon real property.  The term "cost" shall include interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum until the lien is paid.  Interest does not accrue until a bill for the costs becomes overdue.
Section 3.  The City Council of the City of Whiteville may require the owners of all premises, vacant or improved, to keep the same free from trash, obnoxious weeds, overgrowth, solid wastes, and stagnant water and may provide that if the owners fail to comply with any such requirement, an employee or contractor of the City may go upon the owners' premises and perform any work that may be necessary to comply with such requirement, and the Town may charge the cost thereof against the premises upon which the work is performed.  The costs of any work performed under this section shall constitute a lien against the premises upon which the work is performed and may be collected in the same manner as taxes upon real property.  The term "cost" shall include interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum until the lien is paid.  Interest does not accrue until a bill for the costs becomes overdue.
Section 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 19th day of May, 1999.

	─────────────────── 
	Dennis A. Wicker
	President of the Senate

	─────────────────── 
	James B. Black
				eaker of the House of Representatives