If any structure within the City becomes abandoned, such structure shall be presumed to be a nuisance affecting or endangering surrounding property values and to be detrimental to the public health, safety, convenience, comfort and property or the general welfare of the community and shall be abated. “Abandoned” means a failure to occupy and use such structure for at least three consecutive months in any eighteen-month period.
Whenever the Building Inspector finds any structure to be abandoned within the meaning of this section, he shall give notice in flee same manner as service of summons in civil cases or by certified mail addressed to the owner of record of the premises at leis last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent, or by a combination of the foregoing methods, to abate such abandoned condition within sixty days either by resuming the abandoned use of such structure or adapting and using such structure for another use permitted by the City Zoning Code, or by razing the structure, removing pumps and signs and any other advertising or promotion features with the exception that in any case where an automotive service station remains abandoned for more than ninety days, then the underground storage tanks shall be completely removed rather than filled with inert material under the supervision of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, and depressions shall be filled to the grade level of the lot, provided, however, that if the structure is in use at the time notice is given and remains in use for ninety consecutive days thereafter, the provisions of this section shall not apply, and provided, further, that if Council should determine that there exists a state of general economic depression, the provisions of this section shall not apply.
Upon the failure, neglect or refusal of any owner to comply with the notice to abate such abandonment, the Building Inspector shall take such action as may be necessary to abate such nuisance.
All structures which do not come within the definition of “abandoned structure” shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of these Codified Ordinances, and the owner shall cut all grass and remove ail rubbish and weeds from the premises.
The parking of motor vehicles upon such premises shall be prohibited, and the owner shall place in the window of such structure a sign of at least ten square feet in area notifying the public of this fact. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Building Code, if the Building Inspector finds that such notice is not complied with by the public, he may order the owner of the premises on which any structure is unoccupied for more than six months to install fencing or barricades approved by the Inspector which will be sufficient to block access of motor vehicles to such property.
In the event that any other provision of these Codified Ordinances conflict with any provision contained in this section, then the provisions contained in this section shall govern.
(Ord. 73-53. Passed 9-4-73.)