A. Contents Of Plan: At the time a building is registered as required herein, the owner shall submit a vacant building plan. The plan shall contain the following as a minimum:
1. A plan of action to repair any doors, windows, or other openings which are boarded up or otherwise secured or covered by any means other than conventional methods used in the design of the building or permitted for new construction or similar type. The proposed repair shall result in openings being secured by conventional methods used in the design of the building or by methods permitted for new construction of similar type with board removed. The owner shall maintain the building in an enclosed and secure state until the building is reoccupied or made available for immediate occupancy.
2. For buildings and/or premises which are determined by the Director as being or containing public nuisances, as defined in section 8-19-3 of this chapter, then the vacant building/premises plan shall contain a plan of action to remedy such public nuisance(s).
3. A time schedule identifying a date of commencement of repair and date of completion of repair for each improperly secured opening and nuisance identified by the Director.
4. When the owner proposes to demolish the vacant building, the owner shall submit a plan and time schedule for such demolition.
5. A plan of action to maintain the building and/or premises thereof in conformance with this chapter.
6. A plan of action, with a time schedule, identifying the date that the building will be made both habitable and either: a) occupied or b) offered for occupancy or c) offered for sale. The time schedule shall include date(s) of commencement and completion of all actions required to achieve habitability.
In the case of a vacant boarded building, no plan which fails to provide for compliance with this chapter or, which will not, as reasonably determined by the Director, achieve such compliance within three (3) months shall be approved.
In the case of a vacant, unboarded building, the exterior of which is Code compliant, no plan which fails to provide for compliance with this chapter or, which will not, as reasonably determined by the Director, achieve such compliance within two (2) years shall be approved; provided, however, the Director may approve an extension of the time during which the building will be unoccupied beyond two (2) years to a date certain, but then only based upon clear and documented evidence of good cause shown by the owner, as determined by the Director in the Director's reasonable discretion.
B. Premises; Building Exterior: All premises upon which vacant buildings are located, and the building exteriors, shall at all times be maintained in compliance with this Code. In addition, in the event of snow, the owner of a vacant commercial building shall maintain a plowed path, not less than thirty feet (30') wide, from the adjacent street to the building's main entrance (or front door) and to any fire district connection located on the side of the building.
C. Exterior Lighting: Exterior lighting shall be maintained in conformance with City property maintenance and zoning ordinances.
D. Ground Floor Windows: All ground floor windows facing street frontage, including, but not limited to, all display windows in unoccupied or vacant commercial buildings, shall be kept in a well maintained condition. All ground floor windows facing street frontage, except display windows in unoccupied or vacant commercial buildings, shall be covered on the interior side in a professionally finished manner with an opaque window covering material manufactured for that purpose and approved by the Director.
E. Fire Alarm And Sprinkler Systems: All vacant commercial buildings must maintain in working order all fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems, maintain the heat on and set at a minimum of forty two degrees (42°), keep current all building access keys in the knox box, and post roof/truss indicators on the exterior of the building.
F. Review And Approval Of Plan: The Director shall review and approve the proposed vacant building plan if it satisfies the standards below. The Director shall send notice to the owner of the vacant building of his or her approval or denial of the proposed vacant building plan. In considering the appropriateness of a vacant building plan, the Director shall include the following in his or her consideration. All denial notices issued by the Director shall identify the reason(s) the proposed vacant building plan is not consistent with the following standards:
1. The purposes of this chapter and intent of the City Council to minimize the time a building is boarded or otherwise vacant.
2. The effect of the building and the proposed plan on adjoining property.
3. The length of time the building has been vacant.
4. The presence of any public nuisances on the property.
5. The likelihood that the plan or portion(s) thereof will prevent or ameliorate the condition it is designed to address.
G. Failure To Obtain Or Comply With Approved Vacant Building Plan: Failure to have an approved plan within thirty (30) days of filing the registration form, failure to submit a revised plan within fifteen (15) days of the date of the Director's written denial of a proposed plan, or failure to comply with the approved plan shall constitute a violation of this chapter subjecting the owner of the building to penalties as provided in this chapter and to any remedies the City may avail itself of as provided for herein and elsewhere in this Code, including, but not limited to, an action to compel correction of Health or Fire Code violations. (Ord. O2017-38, 6-19-2017)