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County attorney authorized to seek injunction to enforce ordinance violations at 792 NC-111122 South
Summary
After repeated notices and photographs documenting tires, truck parts and commercial vehicles on a residentially zoned property, planning staff asked the board to authorize court action to compel compliance; the board approved the request to file for injunctive relief.
The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners authorized the county attorney to file for an injunction to enforce local ordinances at a privately owned property identified as 792 NC-111122 South after staff said repeated written notices had not produced full compliance.
Planning staff presented photographs and said neighbors had complained that the parcel had been used primarily as a parking lot for commercial tractor-trailer trucks and contained stored tires, truck parts and other solid waste — uses the staff said violate the county Unified Development Ordinance (parking of commercial vehicles in R-30) and the county solid-waste ordinance (storage of tires and solid waste). Staff said written notices were mailed April 17 and May 19 instructing the owner to remove the material; partial progress was made but the majority of tires and related materials remained.
Rather than pursue criminal penalties or daily civil fines initially, staff recommended seeking an injunction from the court requiring the owner to correct the violations. County staff explained that court enforcement can carry more weight than administrative notices and that monetary penalties can be difficult to collect absent further court action. A commissioner noted that civil penalties in the ordinance could be roughly $50 per day and that court action typically draws more attention and compliance.
The board voted to authorize the county attorney to file an action to obtain injunctive relief; the decision was recorded as approved on the meeting record with no opposing votes spoken at the mic.
