15.10.100 Investigations, complaints, notices and administrative hearings.
A. Investigations. The building official may investigate any building or premises which the building official believes to be unfit for human habitation or other use. If the investigation reveals conditions that make the building or premises unfit for human habitation or other use, the building official shall:
1. Issue a complaint stating the conditions that make the building or premises unfit for human habitation or other use; and
2. Serve the complaint by personal service, registered mail, or certified mail with return receipt requested, upon all persons who appear on a litigation guarantee from a licensed title insurance company as having any ownership interest in the building or premises; and
3. Post the complaint in a place on the property conspicuous to persons entering the structure and if practical conspicuous from an abutting public right-of-way.
B. Complaints. No complaint shall be issued if a permit has been issued for all repairs, alterations, and improvements required to make the building or premises fit for human habitation or other use, and the repair work, in the building official’s opinion, is progressing at a satisfactory rate. For the purposes of this subsection, the building official may require as a condition of issuing a permit for that the applicant provide a written and signed, mutually agreed-upon schedule for the completion of the work.
C. Notices. If the address of the persons appearing on the litigation guarantee identified in subsection (A) of this section cannot be ascertained by the building official after a reasonable search, then the building official shall make an affidavit to that effect, and the complaint shall be served either by personal service or by mailing a copy of the complaint by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the address appearing on the last equalized tax assessment roll of the County Assessor and to any other address known to the County Assessor. Each person whose address cannot be ascertained shall be mailed a copy of the complaint at the address of the building or premises involved in the proceedings. In addition to serving and posting the complaint, the building official shall mail or cause to be delivered to all housing and commercial rental units in the building or on the premises a copy of the complaint.
D. Administrative Hearings. The complaint shall state that an administrative hearing will be held before the building official at a specified time and place, not less than ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days after service of the complaint; and that all persons having any interest therein shall have the right to file an answer to the complaint, and to appear in person or by representative and to give testimony at the time and place fixed in the complaint. At the administrative hearing, the building official shall have the authority to administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and receive evidence. The rules of evidence shall not apply in administrative hearings before the building official.
E. Recording. A copy of the complaint shall be filed for public record with the Grays Harbor County Auditor.