8.44.040 - Vacant buildings.

A.

The city, through the Urban Livability Department, shall maintain a program to identify nuisance or compromised vacant buildings, and enforce the provisions of this chapter.

B.

Vacant buildings are classified in one (1) of the following tiers:

1.

Tier 1: Maintained Vacant Buildings;

2.

Tier 2: Nuisance Vacant Buildings;

3.

Tier 3: Boarded Buildings; or

4.

Tier 4: Compromised Vacant Buildings.

C.

Tier 2 and 3 properties may be periodically checked by an enforcement official for signs of broken windows or doors, unauthorized dumping, and other violations. When such problems are identified, the enforcement official shall notify the property owner of the issue. Property owners who fail to correct these identified issues are subject to enforcement action and re-classification to higher tiers of vacant buildings.

D.

Tier 3 properties are subject to higher annual vacant building fees, due to their increased risk of vandalism and trespass, and the attention which must be paid to these properties by city officials.

E.

It is unlawful to maintain a vacant building in a condition rendering it a Tier 4 Compromised Vacant Building.

F.

It is unlawful to maintain a vacant building in a condition rendering it a Tier 2 or Tier 3 Vacant Building, without payment of the associated vacant building fee.

G.

The property's tier shall be re-evaluated on an annual basis, during which properties shall be adjusted to the tier that best fits that property's description. Notice of this re-evaluation shall be provided to the property owner, as provided in Section 8.14.150 of this Code.

(Ord. No. 2020-06, § VI, 6-3-2020)