A. Maintenance Required. It is unlawful for any owner to cause or permit any vacant property to be or remain in violation of the provisions of this chapter. All vacant properties, whether residential or commercial, must be maintained in compliance with the Signal Hill Municipal Code.
B. Additional Requirements for Commercial Properties. Any vacant commercial building must be maintained in accordance with the following requirements:
1. All doors, windows, and other openings are secure or boarded in accordance with this chapter.
2. Any temporary site perimeter fencing is placed in connection with a building permit.
3. The property must be continuously monitored, as follows:
a. Buildings with fire sprinkler systems must be maintained in working order.
b. Buildings with a centralized and registered fire and burglar alarm system must be maintained in working order, and monthly reports showing continued and active service shall be submitted to the enforcement official.
c. Buildings without fire sprinkler systems or fire alarm or burglar alarm systems shall be provided with continuous physical monitoring by means of an onsite patrol. "Continuous physical monitoring" shall mean the use of a licensed security agency operating in the City of Signal Hill and providing regular surveillance of the vacant property as part of the agency's security route.
C. Requirements for Buildings Vacant More than Ninety Days. No person may allow a building designed for human use or occupancy to stand vacant for more than ninety days, unless the person establishes by substantial evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the enforcement official that at least one of the following applies.
1. Active Construction. The building is the subject of active construction for repair or rehabilitation in order to make the building habitable, and the owner is progressing diligently to complete such repair or rehabilitation within one year of the issuance of the building permit related to such repair or rehabilitation.
2. Active Marketing. The building or property contains no Signal Hill Municipal Code violations, is ready for occupancy, and is actively being offered for lease, sale, or rent.
3. Active Maintenance. The person is actively maintaining and monitoring the building, which includes:
a. Maintenance of landscaping and plant materials in good condition.
b. Maintenance of the exterior of the building including, but not limited to, paint, finishes, windows, doors, and signage in good condition and in compliance with this chapter.
c. Any sign which advertises a use or business not being made on the premises, the name of the owner or user, or which identifies a product, an interest, service, or entertainment not available on the premises is prohibited.
d. Regular removal of all exterior trash, debris, and graffiti.
e. Prevention of criminal activity on the premises including, but not limited to, use and sale of controlled substances, prostitution, and criminal street gang activity.
f. Securing the property in a manner so as not to be accessible to unauthorized persons. Secure manner includes, but is not limited to, closing and locking of windows, doors (walk-through, sliding and garage), gates, and any other opening that may allow access to the interior of the property or structure(s), or the erection of temporary construction fencing approved by the enforcement official for not more than one hundred eighty days. In the case of broken windows, securing includes the replacement of the broken window.
g. Maintaining sufficient utility services to provide power for any alarm or security system and to properly irrigate all landscaping on the property.
h. The building or the lot on which the building is located, and the landscaping on such lot, does not contribute to and is not likely to contribute to blight because the owner is actively maintaining and monitoring the building and the lot so that it does not contribute to blight.
D. Insurance. The owner shall maintain fire and liability insurance coverage as determined necessary by the city's risk manager. Any insurance policy shall require advance, written notice to the risk manager in the event of cancellation of insurance or a reduction in coverage. (Ord. 2023-11-1545 § 11 (part), 2023)