§ 26-255. Enforcement; civil fines.

(a)

Any certified convenience business inspector ("CBI") employed by the Collier County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) is authorized by this article to investigate any alleged violation of this article. Violation of any provision of this article by any owner or principal operator of a convenience business shall result in a notice of violation from such CBI. The noticed violator shall have 30 days after receipt of such notice to provide proof to the CBI that the violator has complied with all requirements stated in such notice. If the violation continues after that 30-day period, the CBI may refer the case to Collier County Code Enforcement for enforcement. The director of code enforcement, or the assigned code enforcement special master, if applicable, may suspend imposition of any fine in his/her discretion up until an order imposing a fine has been issued. After an order imposing a fine has been issued, fine reductions shall be controlled by F.S. ch. 162, and applicable Collier County ordinances. No such notice, fine, or fine reduction, shall be subject to any provision of F.S. ch. 120.

(b)

The CCSO or Collier County's Code Enforcement Department personnel shall have full power and authority to petition a court of law for an injunction if it is determined by the CBI, the director of code enforcement, or by the code enforcement special master, if applicable, that the health, safety, or public welfare is threatened by continued operation of a convenience business in violation of this article. In any action for such an injunction, the petitioner may seek a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 per violation, plus attorney's fees and costs.

(Ord. No. 07-74, § 5)