(a) All buildings located within the City that are vacant commercial or industrial buildings shall be registered by the owner or person in control thereof with the Fire Department within sixty (60) days after the effective date of this chapter and no later than December 31st of every year thereafter. Every commercial or industrial building that subsequently becomes vacant shall be registered by the owner or person in control thereof with the Fire Department within thirty (30) days from the date of the last occupancy, or within thirty (30) days of being notified by the Fire Department of the requirement to register based on evidence of vacancy.
(b) Registration shall be made on forms provided by the Fire Chief and verified by the owner or person in control of the vacant commercial or industrial building and shall contain all of the following:
(1) The name, address and telephone number of the owner or person in control;
(2) The name, address and telephone number of the authorized agent, if required;
(3) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all known lien holders and all other parties with any legal interest in the vacant commercial or industrial building and property;
(4) If the vacant commercial or industrial building is for sale, the name, address and telephone number of the company and the realtor or agent responsible for marketing the property;
(5) The address of the vacant commercial or industrial building and the permanent parcel tax identification number of the land on which the vacant commercial or industrial building is located;
(6) The date on which the building became vacant or will become vacant;
(7) The reason for the vacancy and the estimated length of time the building is expected to remain vacant;
(c) No person shall furnish false information to the Fire Department in the Registration Form.
(d) Registration shall be valid until December 31st of each year, unless a transfer of title to the vacant commercial or industrial building has been completed.
(e) No person, including but not limited to, an owner, person in control, purchaser, escrow agent, real estate agent, or realtor, shall participate in a transfer of title to, or disburse proceeds from a transfer of title to, a vacant commercial or industrial building without having in escrow with the escrow agent handling the transfer of title to the property, a copy of a registration form completed by the purchaser of the property and the annual registration fee in an amount based on the duration of time the building has been vacant. The escrowed documents and the annual registration fee shall be forwarded to the Fire Chief upon the transfer of title. The annual registration fee shall not be prorated. In the event that the transfer of title is completed within ninety (90) days from the end of the calendar year, the annual registration fee shall be applied to the following calendar year.
(f) No owner or person in control of a vacant commercial or industrial building shall fail to notify the Fire Department and file an amended registration form within seven (7) days of any change in the registration information required by this section.
(Ord. 12-024. Passed 3-26-12.)