The purpose of this section is to require the registration of any and all vacant houses and buildings within the corporate limits of the City of Kent, and to require property owners to be fined and to pay an annual registration fee to assist the city government, particularly the departments of Police, Fire, Building and Housing, in protecting the public health, safety, welfare and property values; to monitor the number of vacant houses and buildings in the city; to assess property owners for the impact of the effects of the condition of those houses and buildings on nearby businesses and the neighborhoods in which they are located, particularly in light of fire safety hazards, illegal dumping, scrapping, vandalism, general crime and nuisances, and unlawful, temporary occupancy by transients, including illicit drug users and drug traffickers; and to require of the owners of such vacant houses and buildings to register with the City and to pay related fees; and to promote substantial efforts on the party of all property owners to rehabilitate such vacant houses and buildings. The provisions of this section are applicable to the owners of such vacant houses and buildings as set forth herein and are in addition to and not in lieu of any and all other applicable provisions of this chapter, the health and sanitation code, and any other applicable provisions of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Kent or Ohio law.
(Ord. 2011-124. Passed 12-14-11.)