(A) The city shall each year determine which properties in the city are abandoned urban properties and shall prepare and furnish a list of abandoned and urban properties located in the city to the City Clerk and the Woodford County Property Valuation Administrator prior to January 1 of each year.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, a property classified by the city as abandoned urban property as of January 1 shall be taxed as abandoned urban property for such tax year. If the owner repairs, rehabilitates or otherwise returns the property to productive use so that the property is no longer abandoned urban property, the owner shall notify the city, which shall, if it finds the property is no longer abandoned urban property, notify the City Clerk, and the Woodford County Valuation Administrator to strike the property from the list of abandoned urban properties as of the succeeding January 1.
(C) No later than March 1 of each year, the city shall mail by first class mail, to the owner(s) of each abandoned urban property, as those name(s) are listed in the records of the Property Valuation Administrator, a notice that the property has been classified as abandoned urban property. The owner of any abandoned urban property who believes that his, her or its property has been incorrectly classified may appeal such classification to the city's Vacant Property Review Commission which shall certify property as blighted or deteriorated to the City Council. Such appeal shall be in writing, and shall be made no later than April 1 of that year. The city shall afford the owner the opportunity for a hearing. If the Vacant Property Review Commission finds that the property was incorrectly classified as abandoned urban property, it shall cause the property to be removed from the list of properties so classified. The city shall develop policies and procedures for such appeals.
(D) A Vacant Properties Review Commission is hereby established pursuant to KRS 99.700 through 99.730 as may be amended from time to time. In accordance with KRS 99.710(5), the city does hereby assign the duties of its Vacant Properties Review Commission to the city’s Code Enforcement Board.
(1) The Commission shall be responsible for carrying out the functions and responsibilities concerning blighted and deteriorated properties, as granted by state statute and shall have the powers, duties and authority granted it by the Kentucky Revised Statues and the code of ordinances of the city as amended from time to time.
(2) The Commission shall consist of a voting chairperson and two (2) other voting members. The Commission members shall serve four (4) year terms, shall be resident estate property owners in the city and shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to the approval of the City Council. No Commission member shall be an officer or employee of the city, or any other governmental agency, whose duties include enforcement of housing, building, plumbing, fire or related codes.
(3) The Commission's duties shall be to certify properties as abandoned, blighted or deteriorated to the City Council; and to timely hear appeals from owners of properties that have been determined to be abandoned, blighted or deteriorated urban property.
(4) Any interested party may appeal a Commission's decision to the Woodford Circuit Court within thirty (30) days of the Commission's decision.
(Ord. 2011-32, passed 11-1-11; Am. Ord. 2016-25, passed 12-20-16)