Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 76. LAND RESOURCES AND USE

CHAPTER 4. STATE REGULATION OF SUBDIVISIONS

Part 1. Sanitation in Subdivisions

Enforcement

76-4-108. Enforcement. (1) If the reviewing authority has reason to believe that a violation of this part or a rule adopted or an order issued under this part has occurred, the reviewing authority may have written notice and an order served personally or by certified mail on the alleged violator or the alleged violator's agent. The notice must state the provision alleged to be violated, the facts alleged to constitute the violation, the corrective action required by the reviewing authority, and the time within which the action is to be taken. A notice and order issued by the department under this section may also assess an administrative penalty as provided in 76-4-109. The alleged violator may, no later than 30 days after service of a notice and order under this section, request a hearing before the local reviewing authority if it issued the notice of violation or the board if the department issued the notice of violation. A request for a hearing must be filed in writing with the appropriate entity and must state the reason for the request. If a request is filed, a hearing must be held within a reasonable time.

(2) In addition to or instead of issuing an order, the reviewing authority may initiate any other appropriate action to compel compliance with this part.

(3) The provisions of this part may be enforced by a reviewing authority other than the department or board only for those divisions described in 76-4-104(4). If a local reviewing authority fails to adequately enforce the provisions of this part, the department or the board may compel compliance with this part under the provisions of this section.

(4) When a local reviewing authority exercises the authority delegated to it by this section, the local reviewing authority is legally responsible for its actions under this part.

(5) If the department or a local reviewing authority determines that a violation of this part, a rule adopted under this part, or an order issued under this part has occurred, the department or the local reviewing authority may revoke its certificate of approval for the subdivision and reimpose sanitary restrictions following written notice to the alleged violator. Upon revocation of a certificate, the person aggrieved by revocation may request a hearing. A hearing request must be filed in writing within 30 days after receipt of the notice of revocation and must state the reason for the request. The hearing is before the board if the department revoked the certificate or before the local reviewing authority if the local reviewing authority revoked the certificate.

(6) The contested case provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act, Title 2, chapter 4, part 6, apply to a hearing held under this section.

History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 509, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 69-5007; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 490, L. 1985; (5)En. Sec. 16, Ch. 490, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 79, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 443, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 752, L. 2023.