(A) Registration required.
(1) The owner of a vacant structure shall register that structure by completing and filing with the Director a registration form, completing and filing with the Director a vacant structure maintenance plan form, and remitting to the Director the required registration fee within 90 days from the time that the structure becomes a vacant structure in accordance herewith. Thereafter, the owner of the vacant structure shall annually register that vacant structure by completing and filing with the Director the registration form, completing and filing with the Director the vacant structure maintenance plan form and remitting to the Director the required registration fee on or before October 31 of every year until such structure becomes occupied or the ownership is transferred.
(2) Within ten days of identification of any abandoned property by the Director, the owner must register the property with the city’s Public Works Department on specified forms. The Director shall provide the registration form that the owner shall complete and file with the Director. The registration form shall include the street address of each vacant structure, the name and address of each owner and any other information deemed necessary for vacant structure identification by the Director.
(3) The Director shall provide a vacant structure maintenance plan form that the owner shall complete and file with the Director.
(4) Properties subject hereto shall remain subject to the annual registration requirement, security and maintenance standards hereof as long as they remain vacant.
(5) Any person, partnership, association, corporation, fiduciary or other legal entity that has registered a property hereunder must make a written report to the city’s Public Works Department of any change of information contained in the registration within ten days of the change. Any new owner of a vacant structure shall update the registration of that vacant structure by completing and filing with the Director a registration form, completing and filing with the Director a vacant structure maintenance form, and remitting to the Director the current annual registration fee for that vacant structure, if it has not been previously paid and, thereafter, annually registering as described above.
(6) The duties/obligations in this section shall be joint and several among and between all trustees and beneficiaries and their respective agents.
(2012 Code, § 34-75)
(B) Registration fees established; payment; use.
(1) A registration fee and re-inspection fee is hereby authorized to be charged to the ownership of all vacant structures. The fees shall be applied to compensate the city for the cost of administration of the vacant structure registration program and inspections. The registration and re-inspection fees shall be established by City Council resolution.
(2) The registration fee shall be paid on an annual basis. The registration fee billing period shall be October 1 through September 30 of each year (billable in October). The registration fee payment shall be due to the Director by October 31 of every year until such structure becomes occupied. Re-inspection fees may be billed monthly and payments shall be due to the Director within 30 days from the billing date.
(3) Registration fees shall be due October 31 of each year in accordance with this section. The fees are non-refundable and shall not be retroactively applied or prorated.
(4) All registration fees are to be expended during the current billing year as may be necessary to cover the city’s direct and indirect cost for administering the registration and inspections required hereby. Should there be an unexpended balance at the end of any year, the city shall adjust the fees for the succeeding year, so that the amount produced and paid to the city, together with the unexpended balance, will be sufficient to pay the expenses of carrying out the provisions hereof.
(5) All fees shall be applied to the year in which they were billed.
(2012 Code, § 34-76)
(C) Exception from registration fee.
(1) Upon an owner’s written request to the Director for an exception to the registration fee requirement and a finding by the Director that a vacant structure qualifies as described below, the following shall be exceptions from the registration fee requirements hereof:
(a) A vacant structure that has a city building permit in issued status for model/repair;
(b) A vacant structure that is being actively marketed for sale or lease for less than 12 months by a licensed real estate broker or an owner who is regularly advertising the property;
(c) A vacant structure that is under a contract for sale or lease for less than 12 months; or
(d) A vacant structure that is under construction or repairs, not less than three business days per week, undertaken in compliance with all applicable laws, including, but not limited to, city permitting requirements.
(2) The Director shall issue such finding in writing and mail such written finding by either mailing such notice to the owner at the owner’s address as recorded in the county’s Appraisal District records or by mailing, personal delivery or verified facsimile transmission to the owner.
(2012 Code, § 34-79)