268 - Enforcement and remedies.

§  268.  Enforcement  and  remedies.  1. The town board may provide by  local law or ordinance for the enforcement of this article  and  of  any  local  law, ordinance or regulation made thereunder. A violation of this  article or of such local law, ordinance or regulation is hereby declared  to be an offense, punishable by a fine not exceeding three hundred fifty  dollars or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months,  or  both  for  conviction  of  a first offense; for conviction of a second offense  both of which were committed within a period of five  years,  punishable  by  a fine not less than three hundred fifty dollars nor more than seven  hundred dollars or imprisonment for a period not to exceed  six  months,  or  both;  and, upon conviction for a third or subsequent offense all of  which were committed within a period of five years, punishable by a fine  not less than seven hundred dollars nor more than one  thousand  dollars  or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both. However,  for  the  purpose  of  conferring  jurisdiction upon courts and judicial  officers generally, violations of this article or  of  such  local  law,  ordinance  or  regulation  shall  be  deemed  misdemeanors  and for such  purpose only all provisions of law relating to misdemeanors shall  apply  to  such  violations. Each week's continued violation shall constitute a  separate additional violation.    2.  In  case  any  building  or  structure  is  erected,  constructed,  reconstructed,  altered,  converted  or  maintained,  or  any  building,  structure or land is used, or any land is divided into lots, blocks,  or  sites  in  violation  of  this article or of any local law, ordinance or  other regulation made under  authority  conferred  thereby,  the  proper  local  authorities  of  the  town,  in  addition  to other remedies, may  institute any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent such unlawful  erection,   construction,   reconstruction,   alteration,    conversion,  maintenance, use or division of land, to restrain, correct or abate such  violation, to prevent the occupancy of said building, structure, or land  or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in or about such  premises;  and  upon the failure or refusal of the proper local officer,  board or body of the town to institute any such  appropriate  action  or  proceeding  for a period of ten days after written request by a resident  taxpayer of the town so to proceed, any  three  taxpayers  of  the  town  residing  in the district wherein such violation exists, who are jointly  or severally aggrieved by such violation, may institute such appropriate  action or proceeding in like manner as such local officer, board or body  of the town is authorized to do.