(a) An owner of a vacant or abandoned structure, whether registered or not, shall pay a vacant or abandoned structure registration fee and a monthly administrative monitoring fee, the amounts of which shall be established by City Commission resolution, for the time during which such structure remains a vacant or abandoned structure.
(b) Fees under this section shall be established to support the services rendered by the City in the course of its duties related to vacant or abandoned structures. Fees shall be as determined in the fee, bond and insurance schedule as approved from time to time by the City Commission. Failure to register a vacant or abandoned structure or pay the administrative monitoring fee shall be cause for penalties to be assessed and are criminal violations of this chapter.
(c) The monthly administrative monitoring fee shall be invoiced for all months during which the structure was a vacant or abandoned structure for 15 days or more. However, the monthly administrative monitoring fee for a vacant or abandoned property shall be suspended for a maximum period of six months from the date on which an initial building, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing permit issues for work the premises.
(d) A late fee, in an amount to be established by the City Commission, shall also be payable by an owner of a vacant or abandoned structure when the monthly administrative monitoring fee is not timely paid.
(e) If any portion of the fees required by this chapter are not paid or are overdue, the City may:
(1) Direct the City Assessor to add the amount due to the next tax roll of the City as a single lot assessment under these Codified Ordinances and collect said sum in the same manner as provided by law for collection of taxes and special assessments;
(2) The City shall keep an accurate account of all costs incurred for the monitoring conducted with respect to each lot or parcel of land in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. Such costs shall constitute a lien upon the lot or land. A copy of the account of all unpaid costs incurred under this chapter shall be transmitted to the City Treasurer for collection. The Treasurer shall add to all such accounts 10% of the amount of all such expenditures, to cover notice requirements, overhead and other administrative costs. If the account is not paid in full within 60 days after the date the Treasurer mails the same to the owner by first-class mail, a finance charge of 1.5% shall be added on the remaining unpaid balance. That portion of the account remaining unpaid as of January 1 and June 1 of the year of services rendered shall then be collected under the procedures of a special lot assessment as set forth in Chapter 216 of the Administration Code;
(3) Filing suit against the owner for entry of civil money judgment; or
(4) Any other means available by law.
(Ord. 22-05. Passed 9-20-05; Ord. 04-2016. Passed 5-17-16.)