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BOOK 23 PACE 138 LEE COUNTY F0 Q -01? C3 87) C) o G.0 0 ZN Committed Today for a Better Tomorrow AN ORDINANCE TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF GRAFFITI VANDALISM AND TO PROVIDE THE EXPEDITIOUS REMOVAL OF GRAFFITI FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF LEE COUNTY BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Commissioners of the County of Lee as follows: SECTION 1 PURPOSE AND INTENT The Board of Commissioners (Board) is enacting this ordinance to help prevent the spread of graffiti vandalism and to establish a program for the removal of graffiti from public and private property. The Board is authorized to enact this ordinance pursuant to its police powers, in order to promote health, safety and welfare of its citizens and maintain the peace and dignity of the County under and pursuant to North Carolina Gen Stat §153A-121(a). The Board finds that graffiti is a public nuisance and destructive of the rights and values of property owners as well as the entire community. Unless Lee County (County) acts to remove graffiti from public and private property, the graffiti tends to remain. Other properties then become the target of graffiti, and entire areas are affected and become less desirable places in which to be, all to the detriment of the County. The Board intends, through the adoption of this ordinance, to provide additional enforcement tools to protect the public and private property from acts of graffiti vandalism and defacement. The Board does not intend this ordinance to conflict with any existing anti-graffiti State laws. SECTION 2 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this ordinance, the following words shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Aerosol paint container means an aerosol container that is adapted or made for the purpose of applying spray paint or other substances capable of defacing property. Broad-tipped marker means any felt tip indelible marker or similar implement with a flat or angled writing surface that, at its broadest width, is greater than one-fourth of an inch, containing ink or other pigmented liquid that is not water soluble. Etching equipment means a tool, device, or substance that can be used to make permanent marks on any natural or man-made surface. Graffiti means any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, painting or other defacement that is written, marked, etched, scratched, sprayed, drawn, painted, or engraved on or otherwise affixed to any surface of public or private property by any graffiti implement, to the extent that the graffiti was not authorized in advance by the owner or occupant of the property, or despite advance authorization, is otherwise deemed a public nuisance by the Board. Graffiti implement means an aerosol paint container, a broad-tipped marker, gum label, paint stick or graffiti stick, etching equipment, brush or any other device capable of scarring or leaving a visible mark on any natural or manmade surface.