[Adopted 7-20-2010 by L.L. No. 3-2010; amended 11-16-2010 by L.L. No. 4-2010; 5-2-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-8-2017 by L.L. No.
3-2017]
Residential and commercial real property in the City of Amsterdam
may be temporarily exempt from per-unit charges for water, sewer and
garbage user fees as provided in this article. The exemption will
apply to the balance of quarterly fees that are not yet due as of
the date the abatement is granted plus the fees for the entire next
tax billing year and be effective August 1, 2016.
A.
The property must consist of one-family, multiple-family and commercial
properties that are assessed user fees on a per-unit basis.
B.
Abatement may be granted separately to individual units in a multiple-unit
property.
C.
Abatement will be granted for the balance of applicable user fees
for the current tax year that are not due as of the effective date
of the abatement plus a period of one additional tax year. If the
property was purchased from the City of Amsterdam within two years
of the date of the application, the abatement period will be extended
to two additional tax years.
D.
Abatement will only be granted to a unit that has an active approved
building permit meeting the following conditions:
A.
Application shall consist of a certified statement by the owner of
the property stating that the unit(s) is(are) either currently vacant
or as a result of the proposed construction will be vacant, together
with a building permit for the subject unit(s).
B.
A code enforcement officer will inspect the subject unit to confirm
the vacancy and condition of the subject unit, both of which shall
be reflected on the application.
C.
The Engineer or designee will grant the abatement application if
it is in compliance with the requirements of this article. Applications
received before the 15th day of the month will be approved effective
the first day of the following billing quarter.
The abatement will terminate upon the expiration of the abatement
period.
A.
A property owner who fails to complete the work authorized in the
building permit will forfeit all abated fees from the date of the
commencement of the abatement for that unit. This will be presumed
if the building permit expires and is not properly closed.
B.
Forfeited fees will become a lien on the subject property.
C.
It is unlawful for a property owner to rent out or permit occupancy
of an abated unit unless the building permit is closed out. Such an
act is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to
a year in jail, or both.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Code of the City
of Amsterdam, abatement of water, sewer and garbage user fees may
only be granted pursuant to this article.
