The Building Inspector shall have the duty under this subchapter to:
(A) Inspect or cause to be inspected, as often as may be necessary, all residential, institutional, assembly, commercial, industrial, garage, special, or miscellaneous occupancy buildings for the purpose of determining whether any conditions exist that render such places a dangerous building when he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that any such building is dangerous;
(B) Inspect any building, wall, or structure about which complaints are filed by any person to the effect that a building, wall or structure is or may be existing in violation of this chapter, and the Building Inspector determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that such building is dangerous;
(C) Inspect any building, wall, or structure reported by the Fire Department or Police Department as probably existing in violation of this subchapter;
(D) (1) Notify in writing, either by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested, or if service cannot be had by either of these modes of service, then service may be had by publication in a newspaper qualified to publish legal notices for two successive weeks, the owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee, agent, and all other persons having an interest in said building as shown by the land records of the Recorder of Deeds of the county, of any building found by him or her to be a dangerous building within the standards set forth in § 151.16.
(2) The notice required shall state that:
(a) The owner must vacate, vacate and repair, or vacate and demolish said building and clean up the lot or property on which the building is located in accordance with the terms of the notice and this subchapter;
(b) The occupant or lessee must vacate said building or have it repaired in accordance with the notice and remain in possession; and
(c) The mortgagee, agent, or other persons having an interest in said building as shown by the land records of the Recorder of Deeds of the county wherein the land is located may, at his or her own risk, repair, vacate, or demolish the building and clean up the property or have such work done; provided, that any person notified under this section to repair, vacate, or demolish any building or clean up the property shall be given such reasonable time not exceeding 30 days to commence the required work.
(E) The notice provided for in this section shall state a description of the building or structure deemed dangerous, a statement of the particulars that make the building or structure a dangerous building, and an order requiring the designated work to be commenced within the time provided for in division (D) above;
(F) Report in writing to the city’s Building Commissioner the noncompliance with any notice to vacate, repair, demolish, clean up the property, or upon the failure to proceed continuously with the work without unnecessary delay;
(G) Appear at all hearings conducted by the Building Commissioner and testify as to the condition of dangerous buildings; and
(H) (1) Immediately report to the Building Commissioner concerning any building found by him or her to be inherently dangerous and that he or she determined to be a nuisance per se. The Building Commissioner may direct that such building be marked or posted with a written notice reading substantially as follows:
“This building has been found to be a dangerous building by the Building Inspector. This notice is to remain on this building and/or property until it is repaired, vacated, or demolished and the property is cleaned up in accordance with the notice that has been given the owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee, or agent of this building, and all other persons having an interest in said building as shown by the land records of the Recorder of Deeds of the county. It is unlawful to remove this notice until such notice is complied with.”
(2) Provided, however, that the order by the Building Commissioner and the posting of said notice shall not be construed to deprive all persons entitled thereto by this subchapter to the notice and hearing prescribed herein.
(Ord. 94-006, passed 10-25-1994)