(a) The Building Official or a person delegated by him shall be empowered to examine or cause to be examined any building or dwelling within the City, to determine whether such building or dwelling is dangerous, unsafe or constitutes a nuisance, as provided by this chapter, and may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for an administrative search warrant to enter said premises for inspection.
(b) Prior to the Building Official declaring that a building is deemed to be dangerous, the Building Official shall provide notice, by posting of the notice at the subject property, and send notice by regular 1st class U.S. mail. Such notice shall contain defects or conditions that would cause the building to be deemed dangerous. If an emergency exists, notice required under Section 1311.04(b) is not necessary, and the Building Official may follow all requirements under Section 1311.04(c). Such notice shall give the property owner at least thirty (30) days from the date of posting to correct the violation before the Building Official proceeds to declaring the building dangerous under Section 1311.04(c).
(c) The Building Official shall examine or cause to be examined every building or structure or portion thereof reported or believed to be a dangerous building. Unless another deadline is established under this chapter, the owner shall comply with the notice of violation within thirty (30) days. The Building Official shall give written notice by regular 1st Class U.S. mail and posting signs on the dangerous building in accordance with Section 1311.05 of his intention to repair or remove the building to the record title holders and lienholders of the property. If any emergency exists, notice may be given by other means fifteen (15) days prior to repair or removal.
If the Notice of Violation is returned as undeliverable by the USPS, the Building Official shall cause the Notice of Violation to be made by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. The publication shall be published at least once a week for four(4) successive weeks and shall contain the name, address and phone number of the office of the Building Official, the address of the dangerous building, the name and last known address of the owner of the dangerous building, a summary statement that the building has been determined to be dangerous and that the building must be repaired or removed, and that the owner is required to contact the Building Official and comply with the Notice of Violation within fifteen (15) days after the publication.
The Building Official may grant an extension of time for compliance with the Notice of Violation upon the owner’s written request and for good cause shown. Such extensions of time may be granted at any point of time prior to demolition of said property. If an extension of time is granted, all signs posted pursuant to Section 1311.05 shall be updated to include the new deadline
(d) It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dwelling unit or structure who has received a notice pursuant to paragraph (b), or whom a notice of violation has been served, to sell, transfer, mortgage, lease or otherwise dispose of property to another until the provisions of the notice of violation have been complied with, or until such owner shall first furnish the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee, acknowledging the receipt of such notice of violation issued by the Building Official, and furnish the Building Official with a signed and notarized statement from the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee, acknowledging the receipt of such notice of violation and fully accepting the responsibility, without condition, for making the corrections or repairs required by such notice of violation.
(Ord. 2023-179. Passed 2-22-24.)