The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the removal or repair
of buildings in business, industrial and residential districts that, from
any cause, may now be or shall hereafter become dangerous or unsafe to the
public.
[Added 12-23-1997 by L.L.
No. 5-1997]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
DANGEROUS OR UNSAFE BUILDING OR STRUCTURE
A building or structure which is structurally unsound, unsanitary
or not provided with adequate ingress or egress or which constitutes a fire
hazard or which has become unsafe by reason of damage by fire, the elements,
age or general deterioration or which, in relation to an existing use, constitutes
a hazard to public health, safety or welfare by reason of inadequate maintenance,
dilapidation, obsolescence or abandonment or which is otherwise dangerous
to human life.
When in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer who is hereby designated
as the enforcement officer of this chapter, any building or structure located
in the town shall be deemed to be dangerous or unsafe to the public, the Code
Enforcement Officer shall make a formal inspection thereof, and report, in
writing, to the Town Board his or her findings and recommendations in regard
to the removal or repair of the building or structure.
In the event that the owner and persons in interest shall fail to comply
with the final order of the Town Board to make such building safe and secure
or removed, the Town Board shall order such building or structure to be made
safe and secure or removed and assess all the costs and expense, including
the cost of actually removing such building or structure, against the land
on which such building or structure is located at the same time and in the
same manner as general town taxes.
[Added 12-23-1997 by L.L.
No. 5-1997]
In addition to the foregoing, any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable, upon conviction, as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
III.
[Added 7-12-2001 by L.L.
No. 2-2001]
Whenever the Code Enforcement Officer or any officer of the Town of Geneva shall determine that Chapter
68, Buildings, Unsafe, of the Geneva Code shall be required to be enforced, the costs incurred by said officer for consultation fees with engineers, attorneys or other professionals or costs incurred in enforcement of compliance with this Code, including but not limited to the costs of meeting the requirements of Article 6 of the Environmental Conservation Law (SEQR), shall be reimbursed by the real property owner before a building permit, certificate of occupancy, or other permit, may be issued, and if the real property owner fails to make such reimbursement, then said reimbursement costs levied pursuant to this chapter are hereby made a lien on the premises, and if the same is not paid within 30 days after it shall be deemed payable, the same shall be certified to the County Treasurer's office, which shall place the same on the real property tax roll for that year, with interest, and penalties allowed by law, and be collected as other town taxes are collected.