(a) All buildings or structures which are unsafe, unsanitary, or not provided with adequate egress, or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life, or which in relation to existing use constitute a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolesence or abandonment, are severally in contemplation of this section, unsafe buildings.
(b) All such unsafe buildings are hereby declared illegal and shall be abated by repair and rehabilitation or by boarding-up, demolition in accordance with the following procedure.
(1) Whenever the Building Inspector finds any building or structure or portion thereof to be unsafe, as defined above, he or she shall, in accordance with established procedure for legal notices, give the owner, agent or person in control of such building or structure written notice stating the defects thereof. This notice shall require the owner within a stated time either to complete specified repairs or improvements, board-up or demolish and remove the building or structure or portion thereof.
(2) When the city boards-up such property, utilizing available city personnel and equipment, the city shall give five days’ notice by regular mail to the owner, occupant or person having the charge or management of the property, at his or her known address, to pay the cost of such boarding-up. The notice shall be accompanied by a statement of the amount of cost incurred. If the same is not paid within 30 days after the mailing of the notice, such amount may be certified to the County Auditor for collection as other taxes and assessments are collected or the city may seek recovery of such costs by civil action against the property owner involved.
(3) When it is deemed necessary to board-up any private property, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the owner shall be charged the rate listed below per hour or portion thereof, or the actual cost of such work, whichever is the larger.
Basement windows boarded | $30 | Unit cost |
Main doors boarded | $70 | Unit cost |
Overhead doors boarded | $150 | Unit cost |
Oversized windows boarded | $65 | Unit cost |
Standard windows boarded | $50 | Unit cost |
(Ord. 61-92, passed 6-16-1992)