(a) The owner of any structure that has become vacant as defined above shall, within ninety (90) days after the structure first becomes vacant, within ninety days of receiving notice that a structure is vacant, or within ninety days after the effective date of this chapter, whichever is later, file a registration statement for each such structure with the City Engineer or his designee on forms provided for such purposes. Any owner of a property which files a foreclosure action against such property, or for which a foreclosure action is pending, or a Judgment of Foreclosure has been issued shall, in addition to all other requirements of this section, provide a cash bond acceptable to the City Engineer or his designee, in the sum of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), to secure the continued maintenance of the property throughout its vacancy and remunerate the City for any expenses incurred in inspecting, securing, repairing, and/or making such buildings safe by any legal means including, but not limited to, demolition. A portion of said bond in an amount to be determined by the City Engineer shall be retained by the City as an administrative fee to fund an account for expenses incurred in inspecting, securing, repairing and/or making said building and other buildings which are involved in the foreclosure process or vacant safe.
(b) The owner, agent, lessee, party in control, or mortgagee in foreclosure of any vacant building shall agree to grant unrestricted access to the vacant building after receiving forty-eight-hour notice from the City of Portsmouth for inspections and appraisals as necessary.
(Ord. 2021-55. Passed 8-23-21.)