(A) General. The owner of a vacant building shall register the vacant building with the Commissioner on a form provided by the Commissioner, and pay the vacant building registration fee. The form shall include, as a minimum, the name, street address, and telephone number of the owner, the case name and number of any litigation pending concerning or affecting the vacant building, including bankruptcy cases, and the name, street address, email address, and telephone number of all persons with any legal interest in the vacant building, or the premises. The form shall require the owner to identify a natural person 21 years of age or older who maintains a permanent address in Cook County, Illinois to accept service on behalf of the owner with respect to any notices the Commissioner sends pursuant to this chapter, and file with the Commissioner on the registration form, the name, street address, email address, telephone number of said person. A street address is required. A post office box is not acceptable.
(B) The form shall require the owner to indicate his or her “Acceptance of Notice by Posting” consenting to service of notices sent or required to be sent, pursuant to this chapter, by posting on the building if the owner fails to renew the registration, if required, or maintain as current with the Commissioner the information required regarding the person designated to accept notice and service of process.
(C) All boarded buildings must be registered with the City of Palos Heights Building Department. Failure to register within 14 days of the vacancy and/or board-up will result in the city automatically registering the property and invoicing the responsible party. Structures that the city has boarded up will automatically be registered and a lien placed on the property to recover the registration fee and cost of board-up service.
(D) Registration does not exonerate the owner from compliance with all applicable codes and ordinances, policies or regulations, including this chapter, nor does it preclude any of the actions the city is authorized to take pursuant to this chapter or elsewhere in the City Code.
(E) Renewal and amended registration requirements. The owner of a vacant building shall renew the vacant building registration annually no later than the anniversary of his first vacant building registration filing. The owner of a vacant building shall also file an amended registration within 15 days of any change in the information contained in the annual registration. An amended registration is required for any change in ownership whatsoever.
(F) Fees. The initial vacant building registration fee shall be $175. The annual renewal registration fee shall be $175. There is no charge to amend the owner's registration information.
(Ord. O-29-16, passed 11-1-16)