(a) Demolition Permits. Prior to the demolition of any structure located within the City, the owner or contractor shall complete an application and pay the fee for a Demolition Permit, as prescribed by the City Engineer.
(1) Contractors. A demolition permit shall be issued to a demolition contractor pursuant to a proper application accompanied by a notarized statement of the owner of the subject property that said demolition contractor is an agent for such demolition.
(2) Owners. A demolition permit may be issued to an occupying homeowner pursuant to a proper application, provided that all work thereunder shall be: (1) performed by the homeowner hands; (2) in conformity with this code; and (3) limited to uninhabitable, blighted, single-story, accessory structures, such as garages or sheds.
(3) Discrepancies. If any discrepancies are found in the application, the City Engineer or his designee may order an inspection prior to the issuance of a permit. The City Engineer or his designee may order an inspection at any time during the demolition to assure that all required procedures are being followed.
(5) Validity, Renewals. The demolition permit for a residential structure shall be valid for a period of three calendar months which is initiated by the proposed start date on the demolition permit and is renewable for no more than two additional three calendar month periods. A demolition permit for a commercial structure shall be valid for a period of six calendar months which is initiated by the proposed start date on the demolition permit and is renewable for no more than a six calendar month period with an additional fee payment. Renewals may be granted by the City Engineer or his designee, upon written request and for good cause as shown including but not limited to a strike, an act of God or other unavoidable circumstance.
(6) Permits Acquired after Demolition Initiation or Completion. If a permit is acquired after demolition has initiated or been completed the permit holder or property owner will be subject to applicable penalties as provided in Chapter 1399. Additionally, any demolition permit issued after the initiation of demolition they will be subject up to a 100% surcharge on the associated permit fee as determined by the City Engineer, or his designee.
(7) Permit Bonds. A Permit Bond will be required before the issuance of any demolition permit for commercial structures. The bond may be in either (1) a cash deposit or (2) letter of bond surety and in either case must be equal to 100% of the cost of the demolition. Residential structures are not required to provide a permit bond unless deemed necessary as determined by the City Engineer, or his designee.
(8) Insurance. Proof of liability insurance must be provided for the demolition of all commercial structures, and as directed by the City Engineer, or his designee for residential structures, through a company licensed to do business in the State of Ohio in the minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for all commercial structures, and the minimum amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) for all residential structures. The City Engineer, or his designee, may require proof of greater insurance amounts as determined necessary. No proof of insurance need be furnished in regard to demolition of an accessory building not exceeding 1000 square feet in area. (Ord. 2020-37. Passed 11-23-20.)
(b) Demolition Standards. All demolitions of structures, whether completed voluntarily by the property owner or by order of the Board of Property Maintenance Appeals, shall comply with the following conditions:
(1) No less than 48 hours prior to commencement of demolition, the site shall be posted in a manner prescribed by the City Engineer, but in no case shall this notice be less than 11 inches by 17 inches in size and consisting of brightly colored background with the time, place and manner of the demolition listed.
(2) Demolition work in residential areas shall proceed only on weekdays, Monday through Friday, and only between the hours of 7:00am to 7:00pm. The City Engineer, or designee, is authorized to extend such days and/or hours upon written request from the demolition contractor.
(3) Electrical power shall be disconnected from the structure to be demolished prior to the start of demolition. It shall be the contractor's sole responsibility to coordinate and verify the power has been disconnected prior to the start of demolition.
(4) Gas service shall be disconnected/killed to the structure to be demolished prior to the start of demolition. It shall be the contractor's sole responsibility to coordinate and verify the gas service has been disconnected/killed prior to start of demolition.
(5) Telephone and cable television shall be disconnected from the structure prior to the start of demolition. It shall be the contractor's sole responsibility to coordinate and verify the gas service has been disconnected/killed prior to start of demolition.
(6) Sanitary sewer laterals shall be located and capped prior to the start of demolition. Capping shall be completed using materials similar to the existing lateral pipe or Fernco® style rubber caps. Plugging shall be completed at the limits of the right-of way. All plugging/abandonment shall be inspected by the City Engineer or his designee prior to burial.
(7) Domestic water service termination shall be coordinated with the City of Mount Vernon Engineering Department (740-393-9528) prior to the start of demolition.
(8) Fire water service termination shall be coordinated with the City of Mount Vernon Engineering Department (740-393-9528) prior to the start of demolition.
(9) Septic tanks shall be pumped empty; the contents of the tank shall be disposed of at a properly licensed sewage treatment facility. The septic tank and septic system shall be completely removed and disposed of at a properly licensed landfill.
(10) Water wells shall be abandoned per Ohio Administrative Code Section 3701-28-07. For more information, contact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at 614-265-6740.
(Ord. 2014-02. Passed 3-24-14.)
(11) For demolitions of commercial structures, and as directed by the City Engineer or his designee for residential structures, exceeding eighteen feet in height, it is required that the demolition site be secured with a fence of at least eight feet in height enclosing the entire site to prevent unauthorized access to the site and to warn the public of the dangerous condition if the demolition exceeds the length of one day. All debris and demolition activity shall be maintained within the secured area.
(12) For demolitions of commercial structures, and as directed by the City Engineer, or his designee, for residential structures, which exceed one story in height and located less than 10 feet from the sidewalk or is less than ¼ of the height of the structure from any sidewalk, street or alley, sidewalks are to be blocked-off and a temporary walkway should be constructed if the structure is located in an area of high foot traffic with the need for accessible walkways unless the street is closed during the demolition. The walkway must cover the entire length of the project and be in use at all times that demolition activity extends above the 2nd floor. If determined necessary by the City Engineer, sidewalks adjacent to the site are to be completely closed and barricaded throughout the length of the project. These requirements may be waived as determined by the City Engineer, or his designee. (Ord. 2020-37. Passed 11-23-20.)
(13) When demolition operations generate dust or other air-borne material, water shall be used to minimize these conditions. The City of Mount Vernon, Water Department (740-393-9504) shall be contacted to make necessary arrangements if fire hydrants are to be used for this purpose.
(14) Demolition debris, including all clean hard fill (CHF) shall be removed from the site and disposed of and/or recycled at an appropriately licensed landfill or recycling facility.
(15) All walks, steps, driveways, slabs, basements slabs, basement walls, footings, and other appurtenances shall be entirely removed from the site, unless the removal of such items creates a hazard to adjacent structures as determined by the City Engineer.
(16) On-site salvageable material must be stored in a manner so as not to create a public nuisance and for a period not to exceed the life of the demolition permit.
(17) Basements, crawl spaces or any other void in the earth's surface shall be backfilled using structural fill. Structural fill should consist of a mineral soil free of organic material, loam, debris, frozen soil or other deleterious material which may compress or which cannot be properly compacted. Structural fill should be placed in lifts no thicker than 8 inches, as placed and compacted with suitable compaction equipment (Sheep's Foot Compactor) to at least 95 percent of the maximum dry density as determined by ASTM D1557. Lift thickness should be reduced to 4 inches in confined areas accessible only to hand guided compaction equipment. All fills shall produce soil load bearing values of 2000 pounds per square foot (psf) as determined by a geotechnical engineer or the City Engineer.
(18) The demolition site shall be left in a clean graded condition. The grade shall be consistent with the grade that was present prior to the demolition so that the surface drainage from the abutting properties is not adversely impacted.
(19) The demolition site shall be seeded and mulched sufficiently to produce adequate vegetation to prevent surface erosion and sediment laden run-off.
(c) Failure to Comply With Demolition Order. If a property owner fails to either repair or demolish a structure ordered to be repaired or demolished by the Board of Property Maintenance Appeals, within the time period specified in the order, including any reasonable time extensions that may have been provided, the City may demolish or cause to be demolished any building that has been condemned by the Board. All costs of demolition incurred by the City, and any fees applicable thereto shall be recovered from the property owner as prescribed in Section 1303.07.
(d) Salvage Materials. Materials that may be salvaged in the process of demolition of a structure by the City will be part of the negotiation with contractors who bid on the work and the successful bidder will receive those materials as part of the contract.
(Ord. 2014-02. Passed 3-24-14.)