The fees described in this section are established in order to defray the costs to the City related to the health, safety, and economic impact of structures which remain vacant for long periods of time, including but not limited to administrative costs for registering and processing the vacant building owner registration form and for the costs incurred by the City in monitoring the vacant building. The annually increased fee amounts are reasonably related to the costs incurred by the City for demolition and hazard abatement or repairs to vacant buildings, as well as the continued administrative costs.
(a) The owner of a vacant building shall pay an annual fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the first year the building remains vacant.
(b) For every consecutive year that the building remains vacant, the annual registration fee shall be increased by two hundred dollars ($200.00) over the previous year to a five (5) year maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to be used for the fifth and for all consecutive, subsequent years of vacancy.
(c) The first annual fee shall be paid at the time the building is registered. If the fee is not paid, the amount owed shall be assessed against the owner and certified to the appropriate County Auditor as a lien against the property.
(d) The fee shall be paid in full prior to the issuance of any building permits unless the property is granted an exemption.
(e) All delinquent fees shall be paid by the owner prior to any transfer of an ownership interest in the vacant building. A lien may be placed on the property to collect delinquent fees.
(Ord. 39-2020. Passed 5-26-20.)