"We want to sit down with you as a home owner and work with you," said Commission President Frank "Chunki" Angotti. "We don't want to fine you, we want to help you."

Many people have spoken both for and against the ordinance over the past months and some county residents are not happy with the commission's decision.

"When I voted for them, I thought they were going to speak for the people," says Nutter Fort resident Tara Campbell, "and the people do not want this, and they voted for it anyway."

The commission passed the ordinance in its entirety, then passed a resolution saying it would only enforce the parts of the code dealing with run-down and dilapidated properties. The Commissioners say one major factor played a role in their decision, that the dilapidated properties create a public safety issue for the community.

Commissioner Angotti says he feels like the commission did the right thing for the county.

"Majority or minority, what's the right thing to do?"

Many county residents, like Deborah Cork of Salem, are in favor of the code adoption, and even pushed for it, saying it's a step in the right direction.

"It's starting us in the right direction of making us a community where everyone is proud to live."

The property ordinance will go into effect on January 1. As of now, existing code enforcement officers will enforce the ordinance.