- 1. In case any building or structure is erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted or maintained, or any building, structure or land is used in violation of sections 89.010 to 89.140 or of any ordinance or other regulation made under authority conferred hereby, the proper local authorities of the municipality, in addition to other remedies, may institute any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent such unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, conversion, maintenance or use, to restrain, correct, or abate such violation, to prevent the occupancy of such building, structure, or land, or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business, or use in or about such premises. Such regulations shall be enforced by an officer empowered to cause any building, structure, place or premises to be inspected and examined and to order in writing the remedying of any condition found to exist therein or thereat in violation of any provision of the regulations made pursuant to the authority of sections 89.010 to 89.140.
- 2. Except as provided in subsection 4 of this section, the owner or general agent of a building or premises where a violation of any provision of said regulations has been committed or shall exist, or the lessee or tenant of an entire building or entire premises where such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the owner, general agent, lessee or tenant of any part of the building or premises in which such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the general agent, architect, builder, contractor or any other person who commits, takes part or assists in any such violation or who maintains any building or premises in which any such violation shall exist shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than ten dollars and not more than two hundred fifty ** dollars for each and every day that such violation continues or by imprisonment for ten days for each and every day such violation shall continue or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 82.300, RSMo, however, for the second and subsequent offenses involving the same violation at the same building or premises, the punishment shall be a fine of not less than one hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars for each and every day that such violation shall continue or by imprisonment for ten days for each and every day such violation shall continue or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
- 3. Any such person who having been served with an order to remove any such violation shall fail to comply with such order within ten days after such service or shall continue to violate any provision of the regulations made under authority of sections 89.010 to 89.140 in the respect named in such order shall also be subject to a civil penalty of two hundred and fifty dollars.
- 4. In a city with a population of more than three hundred fifty thousand, the owner or general agent of a building or premises where a violation of any provision of said regulations has been committed or shall exist, or the lessee or tenant of an entire building or entire premises where such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the owner, general agent, lessee or tenant of any part of the building or premises in which such violation has been committed or shall exist, or the general agent, architect, builder, contractor or any other person who commits, takes part or assists in any such violation or who maintains any building or premises in which any such violation shall exist shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than ten dollars and not more than two hundred fifty dollars for each and every day that such violation continues, but if the offense be willful on conviction thereof, the punishment shall be a fine of not less than one hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars for each and every day that such violation shall continue or by imprisonment for ten days for each and every day such violation shall continue or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
(RSMo 1939 § 7419, A.L. 1989 H.B. 498, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1352)
Prior revision: 1929 § 7266
*This section was amended by both H.B. 977 & 1608 and H.B. 1352 during the 2nd Regular Session of the 89th General Assembly, 1998. Due to possible conflict, both versions are printed here.
**Word "hundred" appears here in original rolls.