A.
All vacant structures and premises or vacant land shall
be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition to attempt to
prevent blighted conditions or an adverse impact on public health or safety.
B.
Each exterior door, window and opening of any vacant
dwelling shall be firmly secured and locked. Should a structure become accessible
and/or a nuisance by virtue of having windows or doors repeatedly left opened
and/or unlocked, it shall be firmly secured by covering the opening with plywood
or other material. No structure shall be permitted to be boarded up for any
period of time in excess of six months unless fully justified by the owner,
in writing, to the Housing Official stating why and for what period of time
the structure should be permitted to remain boarded up.
C.
No structure caused to be vacant by virtue of noncompliance
with or enforcement of the provisions of this Code shall be used again for
human habitation without express written approval, in the form of a certificate
of occupancy, by the Housing Official. No noncomplying structure may be left
vacant longer then six months. The County may at that time exercise condemnation.
The cost or expense shall be assessed as a lien on the property and shall
be entered on the tax records kept by the County Treasurer[1] and shall be collectible as are taxes.
[1]
Editor's Note: Pursuant to Res. No. 579, adopted 8-3-2004, the duties
formerly performed by the County Treasurer are now performed by the Director
of Finance. See Section 1202 of the Charter.
