(a) The Department of Land Use shall keep a careful and comprehensive record of applications, of permits issued, of inspections made, of reports rendered and of notices or orders issued. The Department of Land Use shall retain on file copies or electronic versions of all papers in connection with building work so long as any part of the building or structure to which they relate may be in existence, except that construction plans for buildings or structures of less than $200,000 value need not be retained after work shown on such plans has been completed and has been approved and accepted. The Department of Land Use shall keep a record of all violations of any rules or regulations promulgated by the County Council, with the name of the owner or builder and the location where such violations are found.
(b) All records shall be open to public inspection at the discretion of the Department of Land Use and subject to the Delaware Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 100 of Title 29] but shall not be removed from the Department.