[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Hull as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-7-2013 ATM by Art. 20 (Ch. 115 of the 1989 Code)]
[Amended 5-15-2015 ATM by Art. 16; 6-5-2018 ATM by Art. 15]
A. 
The purpose of this bylaw is to help protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens by preventing properties from becoming blighted or vacant and not maintained, protecting property values and neighborhood integrity, protecting the Town's resources, avoiding the creation and maintenance of nuisances and ensuring the safe and sanitary maintenance of buildings. Blighted buildings are at an increased risk for fire, unlawful entry and other public health and safety hazards. This Bylaw will help secure the Town's public welfare by requiring all property owners (which term shall include managers and those with responsibility for the care of property), including lenders, trustees and service companies and foreclosing parties, to properly maintain blighted properties.
B. 
Code Enforcement Agents of the Town shall be the enforcement authorities as to this bylaw.
BLIGHTED RESIDENTIAL OR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY (i.e., commercial, business or other property not constituting residential)
A. 
A building, structure or property which has some of the following characteristics: shows signs of substantial physical distress, including, but not limited to, boarded-up or broken windows or doors, fire damage, collapsed roofs, exposure to the elements, susceptibility to unauthorized entry, the accumulation of trash, junk, and/or debris, or that appears to pose a risk to public safety, as determined by Code Enforcement Agents. "Blighted" does not include a building that is unoccupied while undergoing renovations for which a valid building permit exists, or while undergoing repairs due to fire or other casualty for which a valid building permit exists. In order to come within this definition and bylaw, it must be property not being used or occupied as intended, is not legally occupied, has been wholly vacant for 60 days and have one or more of the foregoing characteristics.
B. 
Property unoccupied due to satisfactory evidence of a medical reason of the owner or occupant and property vacant because of storm damage that is less than one year old shall not be considered blighted under this bylaw.
BUILDING
Any structure used or intended for supporting of sheltering any use or occupancy; a structure enclosed within exterior walls or firewalls, built, erected and framed of a combination of any material, whether portable or fixed, having a roof, to form a structure for the shelter of persons, animals or property. For the purpose of this definition, "roof" shall include an awning or similar covering, whether or not permanent in nature, and the word "building" shall be construed, where the context requires, as though followed by the words "or parts thereof".
CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENTS
A Department Head or employee within any Department involved in the enforcement of laws pertaining to public safety.
DAYS
Consecutive calendar days.
LEGALLY OCCUPIED
Occupied in accordance with the provisions of the applicable laws, rules and regulations.
LOCAL
Within 20 miles of the property in question.
OWNER
A person or entity who, alone or severally with others:
A. 
Has legal or equitable title to property or has care, charge or control of any building, dwelling unit or parcel of land in any capacity including but not limited to agent, personal representative, executor, executrix, administrator, administratrix, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title; or
B. 
Has legal right to possess the property in question; or
C. 
Is a mortgagee in possession of any building on property; or
D. 
Is an agent, trustee, receiver or other person appointed by the courts or owner and vested with possession or control of a building on property or property itself; or
E. 
Is an officer or trustee of an association of unit owners of a condominium or cooperative which is or is on the property, including the common areas.
PROPERTY
Real property or portion thereof, located in the Town of Hull, including but not limited to buildings or structures situated on the property.
PROPERTY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (PEP)
A Plan which will detail the owner's action steps that address all violations of this by-law and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
STRUCTURE
A combination of materials for permanent or temporary occupancy of use, such as a building, bridge trestle, tower, framework, retaining wall, tank, tunnel, stadium, reviewing stand, platform, swimming pool, shelter, pier, wharf, bin, fence, sign, gasoline pump, recreational court, or the like.
TOWN
The Town of Hull, MA.
A. 
Blighted property. If a building, structure or property is determined to be blighted under this bylaw by a Code Enforcement Agent, the agent shall issue a notice to the Owner(s) of the property informing them of all conditions on the property which must be corrected as required by the pertinent codes in order to remove the determination as blighted under this bylaw. Upon provision of documentary evidence of correction of the conditions in such notice, the Code Enforcement Agents shall inspect the property and, so long as there are no other outstanding violations, the Code Enforcement Agents shall certificate of compliance relates to this bylaw.
B. 
Unless the violations have been corrected within the period of time specified in the notice of violation or such extended time that may be granted after notice of violation has issued, the Owner(s) shall register the property with the Inspectional Services Department on forms provided by said Department.
C. 
Any property registered under this By-Law shall pay an annual registration fee which shall be for a one-year period or sooner period if the property is issued a certificate of compliance under this bylaw. Registered property that receives a certificate of compliance under this bylaw shall be liable for a new registration fee or fees should it subsequently be determined to be blighted. The registration fee shall be set by the Select Board pursuant to G.L. c. 40, 22F.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
D. 
Willful failure to pay the annual registration fee shall be a violation of this bylaw, and the full fee shall be deemed and designated an assessment against the property and constitute a municipal lien on the property in accordance with G.L. c. 40, 58.
E. 
Within 30 days of registration, unless the property has received a certificate of compliance, the Owner(s) of any property required to be registered under this bylaw shall pay to the Town an annual special inspection fee of $100 to provide for cost of recovery for inspection services provided by the appropriate Town departments. This fee shall be in addition to any other inspection fees that may be required by the Code Enforcement Agents.
F. 
If the Owner(s) is a corporation or other entity with a principal place of business outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or an individual residing outside the Commonwealth, the owner shall appoint an in-state agent authorized to accept service of process and other documents under this By-Law, such as property manager or real estate professional. Each registration shall state the owner's and, if applicable, agent's name, telephone and cell phone number, email, residence and place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and mailing addresses located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including valid name, street number, street name, city or town, state and zip code; the residence or place of business shall not be a Post Office box.
A. 
Properties subject to this Bylaw must comply with all state and local health, sanitary and safety codes and regulations. The local owner or local property management company must inspect and maintain the property on at least a monthly basis for as long as the property is in violation of this bylaw. The name and the twenty-four-hour contact telephone number of the local owner or local property management company responsible for the maintenance must be posted on the front of the property so as to be clearly visible by the Code Enforcement Agents or their designee from the street.
B. 
In accordance with applicable law property that is blighted must be safe and must be safe and must be secured so as not to be accessible to unauthorized persons.
C. 
Compliance with this bylaw does not relieve the owner or other responsible party of any applicable obligations set forth in the laws, rules, code, regulations, covenant conditions and restrictions, and/or homeowner's association rules and regulations.
D. 
Unless corrected within 30 days of the notice of violation or such extended time that may be granted, a building owner and/or property manager shall submit within 30 days of the notice of violation or such extended time a Property Enhancement Plan (PEP) which shall detail the owner's actions that address all violations of this bylaw. If approved and while in compliance with an approved plan, an owner will not be subject to further citations for violations of this bylaw. Non-compliance with an approved plan or failure to have an approved plan shall be violations of this bylaw. The adoption of a PEP shall not absolve the owner for financial penalties incurred prior to the adoption for a violation of this bylaw or any other applicable law, rule or regulation or if violations continue or resume after approval.
Code Enforcement Agents, or their designees, shall have the authority to periodically inspect the exterior and interior of any building subject to this Bylaw for compliance upon at least 24 hours' notice or such notice as is reasonable under the circumstances to the property owners or their designees. If access is not provided by the owner or designee, the Town may seek access by appropriate court approval or other lawful means.
Nothing in this Bylaw shall abrogate the powers and/or duties of the Town to act pursuant to any law, rule or regulation.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
Any persons aggrieved by a decision or order issued hereunder or seeking an extension of time to comply with directives beyond that allowed by the Code Enforcement Agent may appeal said decision or order to a Board of Appeals. The Board of Appeals for this article should be the Select Board, the Chair and Director of the Council on Aging, one private citizen appointed by the Select Board and the Town Manager or his designee.
If any provision of this Bylaw imposes greater restrictions or obligations than those imposed by any general law, special law, regulation, rule, Bylaw, order or policy, the provisions of this bylaw shall control.
If any provision of this Bylaw is held to be invalid by a Court of competent jurisdiction, then such provisions shall be considered separately and apart from this Bylaw and the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect.
A failure to comply with the provisions of this bylaw shall be subject to a fine of $100 for each day of non-compliance. These provisions may also be enforced under the Town's non-criminal disposition bylaw[1] and/or by any other enforcement method under the law. Nothing contained herein shall serve as a limit on other lawful enforcement mechanism, nor shall the same excuse compliance with any other laws, rules or regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 1, Art. II, Penalties and Enforcement.
[Adopted 5-8-2018 ATM by Art. 14]
A. 
The purposes of this bylaw are to protect the welfare and economic vitality of the residents of the Town of Hull by protecting property values, maintaining neighborhood integrity and accessibility, safeguarding against economic property blight, protecting Town resources, and ensuring the safe and sanitary maintenance of commercial and industrial vacant properties. Among other things, vacant commercial and industrial properties can degrade the vitality of Hull's business districts, frustrate local planning and development efforts, negatively impact property values, create increased specific risks of fire damage, vandalism and unlawful entry or uses, and give rise to other public health and safety hazards. This bylaw is intended to promote the Town's public welfare, economic health and vitality by requiring all property owners to register and properly maintain vacant commercial properties.
B. 
This bylaw shall be in effect through September 30, 2023 unless rescinded or amended prior thereto.
As used in this article, the following terms snail have the meanings indicated:
BUILDING
Any structure used or intended for supporting of sheltering any use or occupancy; a structure enclosed within exterior walls or firewalls, built, erected, and framed of a combination of any material, whether portable or fixed, having a roof, to form a structure for the shelter of persons, animals or property. For the purposes of this definition, "roof" shall include an awning or similar covering, whether or not permanent in nature, and the word "building" shall be construed, where the context requires, as though followed by the words "or parts thereof."
BUILDING COMMISSIONER
The Building Commissioner of the Town of Hull or his or her designee.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
The Building Department of the Town of Hull.
CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENTS
A Department Head or employee within any Department involved in the enforcement of laws pertaining to public health and/or safety.
DAY
Consecutive calendar days.
LEGALLY OCCUPIED
Occupied in accordance with the Applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
LOCAL
Within 20 miles of the property in question.
OWNER
A person or entity who, alone or severally with others:
A. 
Has legal or equitable title to any building or has care, charge or control of any building in any capacity including but not limited to agent, personal representative, executor, executrix, administrator, administratrix, trustee, or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title; or
B. 
Is a tenant with a legal right to possess an entire building; or
C. 
Is a mortgagee in possession of any building; or
D. 
Is an agent, trustee, receiver or other person appointed by the courts and vested with possession or control of a building; or
E. 
Is an officer or trustee of an association of unit owners of a condominium or cooperative which contains a vacant property.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
The Department of Planning and Community Development of the Town of Hull.
PLANNING DIRECTOR
The Director of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Hull or his or her designee.
PROPERTY
Any real property or portion thereof, located within the Town of Hull, including but not limited to buildings or structures situated on the property.
PUBLIC ART
Works of art for public benefit and viewing, approved by the Office of Community Development and Planning, for which owners have agreed to the temporary display inside storefront windows or upon other safe, visible exterior surfaces of vacant properties for agreed upon time periods and other material terms.
SEASONAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
Commercial properties occupied by businesses which, annual, close for a period of 90 consecutive days or longer in a twelve-month period.
STRUCTURE
A combination of materials for permanent or temporary occupancy of use, such as a building bridge trestle, tower, framework, retaining wall, tank, tunnel, stadium, reviewing stand, platform, swimming pool, shelter, pier, bin, fence, sign, gasoline pump, recreational court, or the like.
TOWN
The Town of Hull, MA.
VACANT BUILDING
Any unoccupied nonresidential commercial or industrial real property which:
A. 
Is not legally occupied, is abandoned, or is not used for a period of at least 90 consecutive days or longer by occupants having custody or legal right of entry to such property; or
B. 
Which is intermittently occupied by persons with legal right of entry, but exhibits, in the opinion of the Building Commissioner, dilapidated walls, roof or doors which fail to prevent the entry of a trespasser for a period of more than seven days.
A. 
Prior to, or not more than seven days after a unit has been vacant or any portion of a property becomes vacant, as defined herein, the owner(s) must register the vacancy with the Community Development and Planning Department and the Building Department on forms agreed upon and provided by such departments. All registrations must state the owner's name, phone number, email and mailing addresses as well as a local emergency contact, if not the same. None of the required addresses shall be a post office box. This registration must state that the property is vacant at the time of filing. The registration shall also state the owner's efforts to regain occupancy. Once the building is no longer vacant, the owner must provide proof of lawful occupancy to the Community Development and Planning Department and the Building Department pursuant to the process outlined by such Departments. The Building Commissioner will notify Police, Fire, Municipal Light, Sewer, and Health Departments of the submitted registration of vacant building as well as the re-occupancy of the building.
B. 
The Planning Director, in consultation with the Building Commissioner, may exempt a property owner from the provisions of this bylaw at their discretion, provided said exemption does not violate the purpose or intent of this bylaw.
A. 
An annual registration fee will be due to the Town of Hull. The annual registration fee shall be set by the Select Board pursuant to G.L. c. 40, § 22F.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
B. 
At the time of registration, and each calendar year thereafter, the owner of any vacant property shall pay to the Town an annual registration fee to cover the administrative cost of monitoring and ensuring the security and proper maintenance of such building. Failure to pay the annual registration fee shall be a violation of this bylaw, and the full fee shall be deemed an assessment resulting from a violation of this bylaw. Such fee, and any fines issued for violations of this bylaw, shall constitute a municipal charges lien on the property, to be collected in accordance with G.L. c. 40, § 58.
C. 
Owners may apply for a waiver of the annual registration fee requesting waiver of some or the entire fee on grounds of demonstrable financial hardship, or by agreeing in writing to display public art as defined herein for the term of a vacancy. Waivers for public art display will be granted only as sufficient public art is available, appropriate to the location for display, and the Town, artist, owner agree to terms of exhibition as set forth by the Community Development and Planning Department. The Community Development and Planning Department shall have no more than 30 days to review and issue a determination on waiver requests.
A. 
The owner of a vacant building must maintain the vacant building in accordance with all applicable local and State Sanitary Codes, Building Codes and Fire Codes, pertaining to the external/visible maintenance of the building and major system maintenance of the property.
B. 
The owner of a vacant building must promptly repair all broken windows, doors, other openings and any unsafe conditions at a vacant building. Boarding up of open or broken windows and doors is prohibited except as a temporary measure allowed by Title V, Article Seven of these bylaws, unless the Building Commissioner determines that, due to vandalism or security reasons and due to circumstances out of the owner's control, the proper boarding of windows and doors is necessary for a determined period of time. Boards or coverings must be fitted to the opening size and colored to blend with the existing building color scheme.
C. 
The owner must maintain the building and property for the duration of the vacancy or abandonment. The owner shall maintain the condition of the building and property so as to appear not to be vacant. Upon notice by the Building Commissioner, any accumulated trash and/or graffiti shall be removed from the property by the owner within seven days. The Building Commissioner and/or his designee will document violations. The owner of any building vacant for a period exceeding six months, whose utilities have been shut off, shall have those utilities removed or cut and capped to prevent accidents and other health and safety hazards.
D. 
The owner may include advertising materials as they relate to property listing in the vacant space or displayed in the vacant property's street-facing windows. Such advertising materials must be approved by the Planning Director. Advertising materials are not to be permitted in lieu of annual fee or approved public art display.
E. 
Compliance with this bylaw shall not relieve the owner of any obligations set forth in any other applicable bylaw, regulation, codes, covenant conditions or restrictions and/or association rules and regulations. In case of a conflict with these rules and regulations, the stricter of the rules and regulations shall apply.
The Building Commissioner, Police Chief, Fire Chief and the Health Director, or their designees, shall have the authority to periodically inspect the exterior and interior of any building subject to this bylaw for compliance, as authorized under the terms of registration form filed with the Building Department and Community Development Planning Department. The Building Commissioner shall have the discretionary authority to disconnect utilities immediately if a potential hazard that may be dangerous to life and limb is present.
A. 
Violations of any portions of this bylaw shall be punishable by a fine of $100 per day in total.
B. 
The Building Commissioner or his designee shall enforce all provisions of this bylaw and shall institute all necessary administrative or legal action to assure compliance. Any owner found to be in violation of this bylaw shall receive a written warning and a minimum of seven days to remedy all violations prior to the institution of any enforcement action by the Commissioner. The Building Commissioner, acting on behalf of the Town of Hull, may also bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction seeking equitable relief to enforce this bylaw. This bylaw may also be enforced through non-criminal disposition in accordance with the provisions of the Town bylaws.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 1, Art. I, Penalties and Enforcement.
If the Building Commissioner determines the building to be unsafe, the Commissioner may act immediately in accordance with the Massachusetts State Building Code to protect public safety. Furthermore, nothing in this bylaw shall abrogate the powers and/or duties of municipal officials to act pursuant to any general statutory authority, including, without limitation, G.L. c. 139, § 1 et seq. and G.L. c. 143, § 6 et seq.
A. 
Seasonal commercial property occupants shall register with the Community Development and Planning Department on forms agreed upon and provided by said department. All registrations must state the owner's name, phone number, email and mailing addresses as well as a local emergency contact, if not the same. None of the required addresses shall be a post office box. This registration must state the specific time period which the property will be unoccupied.
B. 
A one-time registration fee will be due to the Town of Hull at the time of registration. The registration fee shall be set by the Select Board pursuant to G.L. c. 40, § 22F. Failure to pay the registration fee shall be a violation of this bylaw, and the full fee shall be deemed an assessment resulting from a violation of this bylaw. Such fee, and any fines issued for violations of this bylaw, shall constitute a municipal charges lien on the property, to be collected in accordance with G.L. c. 40, § 58.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
C. 
Occupants may apply for a waiver of the registration fee requesting a waiver of some or the entire fee on grounds of demonstrable financial hardship, or by agreeing in writing to display public art as defined herein for the term of non-occupancy. Waivers for public art display will be granted only as sufficient public art is available, appropriate to the location for display, and the Town, artist, owner agree to terms of exhibition as set forth by the Community Development and Planning Department. The Community Development and Planning Department shall have no more than 30 days to review and issue a determination on waiver requests.
If any provision of this bylaw is held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be considered separate and apart from the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect.