Property owners are to notify city administration departments (Mayor/Clerk-Treasurer’s office) of a vacant property by June 1 annually.
(A) Property owners of residential, commercial, and industrial properties located in the city shall be required to register in writing such properties as being empty, vacant, and/or not in use, if vacant for a period of more than 90 days. An OWNER is a person or entity legally recognizable as having an ownership interest in a property, or has obtained judgment of foreclosure regarding the property based on a mortgage or land contract, and whose identity may be determined from a recorded interest.
(B) A property will be considered abandoned if it is:
(1) Vacant more than 90 days, or as in accordance with Administrative Code Guidelines;
(2) The subject of an unresolved enforcement action before the Board of Public Works and Safety or in County Court;
(3) Not maintained in compliance with city or county code or state building or fire codes; and/or
(4) Classified as an unsafe property under the Unsafe Building Act (I.C. 36-7-9)
(C) (1) A property will be considered vacant if such property is not:
(a) Inhabited (as may be declared by County Area Plan or Health Department);
(b) Maintained in a condition which permits immediate inhabitation;
(c) Currently connected to public utilities such as power and/or water;
(d) Boarded or partially boarded up in excess of 90 days; and/or
(e) An unsafe property under the Unsafe Building Act (I.C. 36-7-9).
(2) A property is not vacant if it is actively listed for sale by an state licensed real estate agent and remains maintained, or residence of an individual actively serving in the United States Military.
(D) Owners will be required to notify the city when such residential, commercial, and industrial properties become inhabited or put back into use and a timeline for the same. If notification is not made by the owner, the presumption shall be that the building remains vacant.
(E) A registration form and registration fee of $100 will be required for each vacant property, each year of vacancy exceeding 90 days. The registration will require the property owner’s name, address, and 24-hour contact number in case of emergency. A registration sticker shall be posted on the building. False information provided shall invalidate the registration. The length of time may vary based on guidelines.
(F) In the first year of the program, the owners shall have until July 1 to register, starting in 2020 and subsequent years, July 1 shall be the deadline to register.
(Ord. 4-2020, passed 2-11-2020) Penalty, see § 151.99