[Adopted 8-25-2008 by Ord. No. 1307-2008; amended in its entirety 11-14-2011 by Ord. No. 1366-2011]
A. 
The problem of vacant and abandoned housing units and commercial and other properties is a barrier to reducing crime, encouraging private investment, and enhancing well-being of neighborhoods. It is the responsibility of the property owners to prevent buildings from becoming a burden to the neighborhood and community and a threat to the public health, safety, and welfare. A neglected building or lot that is not well maintained and managed can be the core and source of spreading blight.
B. 
The purpose of this article is to return properties to productive use by establishing a procedure for identifying and registering vacant buildings which violate City Codes or state law and/or have such other identified characteristics as to constitute a nuisance (blighted buildings or structures).
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words, whenever used in this article, shall be construed to have the meaning indicated herein:
BOARDED
Some or all of the building's doors or windows have been covered with plywood, wood or metal sheeting, paneling or other similar materials, for the purpose of preventing entry into the building or damage by persons, animals or the elements of weather.
BUILDING
Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
DEBRIS
Material which is incapable of immediately performing the function for which it was designed, including, but not limited to, abandoned, discarded, or unused objects, junk comprised of equipment and such vehicles, trucks, boats, trailers and carts that are unregistered and missing parts, not complete in appearance, and in obvious state of disrepair, parts of vehicles, furniture, appliances, cans, scrap metal, building supplies, tires, batteries, containers, barrels, and garbage in the public view.
DETERIORATION
The condition or appearance of a building characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, rusting or other evidence of physical decay or neglect, excessive use or lack of maintenance.
DILAPIDATED
Having structural damage or decayed or rotten beyond repair.
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
Any duly authorized City of Coatesville employee of the Codes Department.
OWNER
Any person, agent, operator, entity having a legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official records of the state, county, or municipality as holding title to the property; or otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court.
PREMISES
A lot, plot or parcel of land including any structure thereon.
UNOCCUPIED
A building or portion thereof which is no longer used or occupied for its lawful purpose, including buildings ordered vacated by the Enforcement Officer.
UNSECURED
A building or portion of a building which is open to entry by unauthorized persons without the use of tools or ladders.
VACANT LOT
A parcel of land with no structures.
VACANT PREMISES
Residential, commercial and industrial buildings and vacant lots which are:
A. 
Unoccupied for a period of time over 180 days; or
B. 
Unoccupied for a period of 60 days and abandoned (as established by the Enforcement Officer's determination that the building lacks utility services, or has multiple City Code, property maintenance or other violations, or is subject to a foreclosure action or tax sale and/or there is a determination by the Chief of Police that the property is attracting illegal activity).
A. 
Immediately after the effective date of this article, the Director (Codes Department) shall evaluate all buildings in the City believed to be unoccupied on the effective date of this article and shall make a determination for each as to whether the building is a "vacant premises" within the meaning of § 82-19. The determination shall be in writing and shall state the factual basis for the determination. The Director (Codes Department) shall, within 10 days of determining that a building is a "vacant premises," send notice of his written determination with the factual findings to the last owner of record listed on the most recent Chester County tax roll. Said notice of determination shall be sent to the owner or designated agent by certified mail, return receipt requested. However, if the address of the owner or designated agent is unknown and cannot be ascertained by the Codes Department in the exercise of reasonable diligence, copies of the notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the property affected. Any appeals from the determination of the Codes Department shall be made within 10 days before the International Property Maintenance Code Appeals Board as set forth in Section 111.1 of Chapter 180 of the City Code upon the deposit of an appropriate fee. In the absence of such an appeal, the determination of the Codes Department shall be final.
B. 
The written notice sent to the owner or the owner's agent shall describe the conditions that render the property vacant, and shall demand registration within 15 days of the receipt of such notice. The City may also post notices on the City's website to provide additional notice to the public.
A. 
The owner or operator of vacant premises shall have primary responsibility to timely register a property as vacant, with the Codes Department but in no event no later than 15 days after being notified by an Enforcement Officer of the requirement to register.
[Amended 11-28-2022 by Ord. No. 1562-2022]
B. 
The registration will be submitted on a form provided by the Codes Department and will include the following information:
(1) 
A description of the premises, e.g., square footage, number of stories, age of the building, and most recent or current use of the building.
(2) 
The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the owner or owners.
(3) 
The names and addresses of all known lien holders and all other parties with a legal or equitable ownership interest in the building.
(4) 
The name of the resident agent designated to act on the behalf of the owner to accept legal processes and notices and to authorize repairs as required.
C. 
Registration shall be required for all vacant premises. In the instance of a vacant premises which is determined to be structurally secure and to have a good roof, and which is properly boarded up in accordance with the requirements of this article and the direction of the Codes Department, the payment of the registration fee shall exonerate the owner, agent or responsible party from responsibility for compliance with any other building code or housing code requirements unless there are violations relating to the property resulting from its deterioration or dilapidated condition and for which the condition of being boarded up does not provide a practical and safe solution as determined by the Codes Department, circumstances which shall require affirmative action to avoid action by the Codes Department for violations. The owner of the vacant premises shall be responsible for the annual payment of a nonrefundable registration fee as provided in Chapter 108, Fees. Said registration fee shall expire one year (365/366 days) from registration date.
[Amended 12-13-2021 by Ord. No. 1548-2021; 11-28-2022 by Ord. No. 1562-2022]
D. 
If vacant premises are owned by the City of Coatesville or its instrumentalities, it shall be subject to the registration requirements of this section and the maintenance requirements in Chapter 180, but shall not be subject to the fee requirements under this article.
E. 
Any new owner shall register or reregister the vacant premises with the Codes Department upon transfer of an ownership interest in the vacant premises, and the new owner shall get credit for that portion of the year for which a registration fee has already been paid by the prior owner.
[Amended 11-28-2022 by Ord. No. 1562-2022]
It is the policy of the City of Coatesville that boarding is a temporary solution to prevent unauthorized entry into vacant boarded buildings. A vacant building may not remain boarded longer than one year unless an extension of up to six months is approved by the Codes Department, which such extension shall not be unreasonably withheld. In addition to the vacancy fee due and payable each year, a penalty shall be applied monthly as provided in Chapter 108, Fees. If at any time the property becomes in a deteriorated or dilapidated condition, regardless of whether or not it is boarded up, the Codes Department shall take such action as it deems necessary, including removing the property from the vacant property list, revoking any privileges granted to such properties, and pursuing any and all remedies available at law or in equity to protect the public and enforce the laws and regulations of the City and the commonwealth.
[Amended 11-27-2023 by Ord. No. 1580-2023]
A building which has suffered fire damage or damage caused by extreme weather conditions will be exempt from the registration requirements of this article for a period of 90 days after the date of the fire or the extreme weather event, if the property owner submits a request for exemption in writing to the Codes Department. All boarding of vacant premises will be performed in accordance with the requirements in the most recently adopted International Property Maintenance Code, Appendix A, Boarding Standards, or current edition.
The failure of the owner of vacant premises to register and pay all required fees under § 82-21 after receipt of a mailing of a delinquency shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both. Each day of violation will be deemed to constitute a separate offense.
After the owner is given notice of the registration fee due, said amount shall constitute a debt due and owing to the City of Coatesville. An unpaid fee shall be a lien upon the premises. All delinquent fees will be paid by the owner prior to any transfer of an ownership interest in any vacant premises.
Once a year, the Codes Department will send to the City Council and to the City Manager a list of all buildings in the City of Coatesville declared vacant under the provisions of this article, as well as a list of all previously declared vacant buildings which are no longer subject to the provisions of this article.
The City shall have authority to appoint an Advisory Committee which such Advisory Committee shall consist of no more than five adult residents of the City determined to be capable of assisting the City and appointed on an annual basis by the City Council. The Advisory Committee if created by the City Council shall be charged with assisting the City in identifying properties in the City that may qualify as vacant premises as defined by this article. The Advisory Committee, if established, shall have no ability to enter onto private property and shall have no direct involvement with Code Enforcement, but shall act in an advisory capacity only and shall be permitted to prepare a report of its activities and to report to City Council as it deems appropriate on an annual or semiannual basis, but no more than four times a year.