1795.04 REGISTRATION STATEMENT; LOCAL AGENT; FEES.
   (a)   Registration Statement: Each such owner shall cause to be filed a registration statement, which shall include the street address and parcel number of each such vacant building, the names and addresses of all owners, as hereinafter described, and any other information deemed necessary by the Director and/or designee.  Beginning with the first anniversary of the initial registration of each vacant building, the property owner of a registered vacant building shall pay the registration fee required by subsection (c) hereof.  All property owners of properties registered under this article shall remit payment of the fee imposed herein by the last day of the month in which the property was originally registered.
   Registration shall be required for all vacant buildings, whether vacant and secure, vacant and open or vacant and boarded, and shall be required whenever any building has remained vacant for 30 consecutive days or more.  In no instance shall the registration of a vacant building and the payment of registration fees be construed to exonerate the owner, agent or responsible party from responsibility for compliance with any other Building Code or Housing Code requirement.
   (b)   Local Agent: If none of the persons outlined in Section 1795.03 is shown at an address within the State, the registration statement also shall provide the name and address of a person who resides within the State and who is authorized to accept service of process on behalf of the owners and who shall be designated as a responsible, local party or agent, both for purposes of notification in the event of an emergency affecting the public health, safety or welfare and for purpose of service of any and all notices or registration statements as herein authorized in connection herewith.
   (c)   Fees: The owner of the vacant property as of the last day of the month when the property has been registered in each calendar year shall be responsible for the payment of the non- refundable registration fee.
   Said fee shall be billed based on the duration of the vacancy as determined by the following scale:
      (1)   No fee for properties that are vacant for less than one year;
      (2)   For properties that are vacant for at least one year but less than two years, $.20 per square foot;
      (3)   For properties that are vacant for at least two years but less than three years, $.40 per square foot;
      (4)   For properties that are vacant for at least three years but less than four years, $.60 per square foot;
      (5)   For properties that are vacant for at least four years but less than five years, $.80 per square foot; and
      (6)   For properties that are vacant for at least five years, $1.00 per square foot.
      (7)   For every year past five years, the fee shall increase $.20 per square foot each year.
      (8)   For all vacant properties located in the “Business District” as defined herein, the above fees shall be doubled.
   For the purposes of calculation of the fees under this section, the amount of square footage charged to the owner shall not be less than 1,200 square feet or greater than 15,000 square feet on any one structure.
   The duration of the vacancy for the purpose of determining the fee runs with the property and will not be affected by a change in ownership.  A change in ownership of a vacant structure shall not remove the vacant structure from the vacant properties registry.  All waivers granted under Section 1795.07 shall expire upon change of ownership.
(Passed 10-11-16.)