(A) In accordance with I.C. 34-30-26-5(a), Limited Authorization to Enter Suspected Vacant or Abandoned Real Property; Limited Immunity, except as provided in division (D) below, a person who is not the owner of real property or who is a creditor, and who suspects that the property may be vacant or abandoned, may enter upon the premises of the real property to do the following:
(1) Without entering any structure located on the real property, visually inspect the real property to determine whether the real property may be vacant or abandoned; and
(2) Perform any of the following actions:
(a) Secure the real property;
(b) Remove trash or debris from the grounds of the real property;
(c) Landscape, maintain or mow the grounds of the real property; or
(d) Remove or paint over graffiti on the real property.
(B) A person who:
(1) Enters upon the premises of real property to visually inspect the property, as permitted under division (A)(1) above; and
(2) After inspecting the real property, determines that the real property may be vacant or abandoned, may notify the appropriate enforcement authority of the suspected vacant or abandoned status of the property and request that the enforcement authority inspect the property to determine whether the property is in fact vacant or abandoned.
(C) A person that enters upon the premises of real property as permitted under this section:
(1) Is immune from civil liability for an act or omission related to the entry or to any action described in division (A)(2) above, unless the act or omission constitutes gross negligence or willful, wanton, or intentional misconduct; and
(2) Shall be held harmless from and against all claims of civil or criminal trespass.
(D) In the case of real property that is subject to a mortgage, the creditor in the mortgage transaction may not enter upon the premises of the real property under division (A) above if entry is barred by an automatic stay issued by a bankruptcy court.
(Ord. 2015-04, passed 5-11-2015)