(A) Every owner of a landmark, a landmark site, or a property in a historic district shall keep in good repair the following.
(1) All of the exterior portions of the buildings or structures.
(2) All interior portions thereof which, if not so maintained, may cause the buildings or structures to deteriorate or to become damaged or otherwise to fall into a state of disrepair.
(B) The purpose of this section is to prevent a person from forcing the demolition of his building by neglecting it and permitting damage to the building by weather or vandalism. No provision in this chapter shall be interpreted to require an owner or tenant to undertake an alteration or to restore his building to its original appearance.
(C) The Historic District Commission shall request a meeting with a property owner when his landmark or his building in a historic district is in poor repair, and the Commission shall discuss with the owner ways to improve the condition of his property. After this step the Commission may request the Building Inspector to take action to require correction of defects in any building or structure designated under this chapter so that the building or structure shall be preserved in accordance with the purposes of this chapter. The action taken by the city may include boarding up the doors, windows, and other parts of the building, and additional steps to stabilize walls, roofs, and other parts of a building.
(D) The applicant shall have a direct appeal to the Circuit Court from a decision of the Commission on an application for a certificate of appropriateness regarding a sign. On all other applications for a certificate of appropriateness, the applicant must first appeal to the City Council. The appeal must be filed with the City Clerk/Treasurer within thirty (30) days after the expiration of the ninety (90) day waiting period. The City Council shall have forty-five (45) days following the filling of the appeal with the City Clerk/Treasurer during which to render a decision on the appeal. If the City Council's decision is adverse to the applicant, or if the City Council fails to act within this time period, the applicant shall then have an appeal to the Circuit Court.
(E) The provisions of this section shall be in addition to all other provisions of the Kentucky Building Code requiring buildings and structures to be kept in good repair.
(Ord. - -, passed 4-18-85; Am. Ord. 87-06-005, passed 6-18-87; Am. Ord. 2008-02-07, passed 2-7-08) Penalty, see § 72.999