Sec. 7-3.1. Unsafe buildings condemned.
   A.   Designation of Unsafe Buildings. Every building that shall appear to the public officer to be especially dangerous to life because of its liability to fire or because of bad condition of walls, overloaded floors, defective construction, decay, unsafe wiring or heating systems, inadequate means of egress, or other causes shall be held to be unsafe, and the public officer shall affix a notice of the dangerous character of the structure to a conspicuous place on the exterior wall of the building.
   B.   Nonresidential Building or Structure. In addition to the authority granted in Sec. 7-3.10, a public officer may declare a nonresidential building or structure within a community development target area to be unsafe if it meets all of the following conditions:
      1.   It appears to the public officer to be vacant or abandoned.
      2.   It appears to the public officer to be in such dilapidated condition as to cause or contribute to blight, disease, vagrancy, or fire or safety hazard, to be a danger to children, or to tend to attract persons intent on criminal activities or other activities that would constitute a public nuisance.
   C.   Notice Posted on Structure. If a public officer declares a nonresidential building or structure to be unsafe under subsection (B) of this section, the public officer.
   D.   Must affix a notice of the unsafe character of the structure to a conspicuous place on the exterior wall of the building. For the purposes of this section, the term "community development target area" means an area that has characteristics of an urban progress zone pursuant to G.S. 143B-437.09, a "nonresidential redevelopment area" under G.S. 160A-503(10), or an area with similar characteristics designated by the City Council as being in special need of revitalization for the benefit and welfare of its citizens.
   E.   Applicability to Residential Structures. The City Council may expand subsections (B) and (C) of this section to apply to residential buildings by holding a legislative hearing to adopt an ordinance after providing public notice pursuant to G.S. 160D-601.
(Ord. No. O-21-06-15-5, §1, 6-15-21)