[Ord. 3742 § 1, 2015]
As used in this article, the following words and phrases have the meanings set forth below:
“Deteriorated area”
means, for purposes of “improvements” as defined herein, the area bounded and described as the “deteriorated area” by resolution passed by the city council of the City of Meadville on September 2, 2015, and as the same may thereafter be amended from time to time, and for purposes of residential construction as defined herein.
“Deteriorated property”
means a dwelling unit located in the deteriorated area which has been or upon request is certified by a health, housing or building inspection agency as unfit for human habitation for rent withholding, or other health or welfare purposes, or has been the subject of an order by such agency requiring the dwelling unit to be vacated, condemned or demolished by reason of noncompliance with laws, ordinances or regulations.
“Dwelling unit”
means a house, duplex, townhouse, apartment, condominium, or any building or unit of a building intended for occupancy as a separate living quarters by an individual, family or families or other groups of persons, which living quarters contain a kitchen or cooking equipment for the exclusive use of the occupant or occupants.
“Improvement”
means repair, construction or reconstruction, including alterations and additions, having the effect of rehabilitating a deteriorated property so that it becomes habitable or attains higher standards of housing safety, health or amenity, or is brought into compliance with laws.
“Residential construction”
means the building or erection of dwelling units, as defined above, upon vacant land or land specifically prepared to receive such structures within the geographical limits of the deteriorated area.
[Ord. 3742 § 2, 2015]
(A) 
The exemption from real property taxes shall be limited to:
(1) 
The exemption schedule as established by this article; and
(2) 
That portion of the additional assessment attributable to the actual costs of improvements to deteriorated properties or the actual costs of residential construction built in the deteriorated area.
(B) 
In all cases the exemption from taxes shall be limited to that portion of the additional assessment valuation attributable to the actual costs of the improvements or residential construction, as the case may be, and for which a separate assessment has been made by the Crawford County assessment office, and for which an exemption has been separately requested.
(C) 
No tax exemption shall be granted by the City of Meadville if the property owner does not Secure all of the necessary and proper permits prior to commencing the residential construction or making the improvements.
(D) 
In any case, after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this article, when residential construction or improvements are damaged, destroyed or demolished by any cause or for any reason, and the assessed value of the property affected has been reduced as a result of the said damage, destruction or demolition, the exemption from real property taxation authorized by this article shall be limited to that portion of the new assessment attributable to the actual costs of the residential construction or improvements that is in excess of the original assessments that existed prior to the damage, destruction or demolition of the improvements or residential construction.
(E) 
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each item of the residential construction and/or improvements shall be treated separately for exemptions under this article if they are being performed or constructed under separate building permits. By way of example only, if a property owner obtains a building permit to construct a house in year one, and then in year two obtains a separate building permit to install a garage or make additional improvements to the previously constructed house, that garage or new improvements shall be treated separately for purposes of exemption under this article.
[Ord. 3742 § 3, 2015]
(A) 
The following exemption schedule shall apply for deteriorated properties to which improvements have been made, which schedule shall be in effect for five tax years commencing with the new tax year following the tax year within which a certificate of occupancy or other City of Meadville issued certification of completion for the improvements to the property is dated:
Length
Portion Exempt
1st year
100%
2nd year
80%
3rd year
60%
4th year
40%
5th year
20%
After the fifth year, the exemption shall terminate.
(B) 
The following exemption schedule shall apply for properties in a deteriorated area subject to new residential construction, which schedule shall be in effect for five years commencing with the new tax year following the tax year within which a certificate of occupancy or other City of Meadville issued certification of completion is dated:
Length
Portion Exempt
1st year
100%
2nd year
80%
3rd year
60%
4th year
40%
5th year
20%
After the fifth year, the exemption shall terminate.
(C) 
The exemptions set forth above are limited to the additional assessment valuation attributable to the actual costs of the improvements or residential construction.
(D) 
If the use of the property at the time the exemption is granted is modified, terminated or changed during the five-year period which in any way would have affected the exemption if the property had been so used when the exemption was granted, then at the election of the City of Meadville, the exemption shall terminate as of the date the use was modified or terminated or the City of Meadville determines that the continuation of the exemption would be inconsistent with the purposes of this article.
(E) 
The exemption from taxes authorized by this article shall be upon the property exempted and shall not terminate upon the sale or exchange of the property.
[Ord. 3742 § 4, 2015]
(A) 
Any person or entity desiring tax exemption pursuant to this article shall apply to the City of Meadville at the time a building permit is secured for new residential construction or for the improvement. The application shall be in writing upon forms specified by the City of Meadville setting forth the following information:
(1) 
The date the building permit was issued;
(2) 
The location of the property to be improved;
(3) 
The type of improvement/residential construction;
(4) 
The summary of the plan of the improvement/residential construction;
(5) 
The cost of the improvement/residential construction;
(6) 
Certification by the applicant that there are no unpaid real estate taxes, municipal sewer charges, or other municipal charges, bills or liens outstanding related to the property;
(7) 
Such additional information as the City of Meadville may require.
(B) 
A copy of the exemption requests shall be forwarded to the Crawford County assessment office by the City of Meadville city manager or his designated agent. The Crawford County assessment office shall, after completion of the new residential construction or improvement, assess separately the new residential construction or improvement and calculate the amounts of the assessment eligible for tax exemption in accordance with the limits set forth in this article and shall notify the taxpayer and the City of Meadville of the reassessment and amounts of the assessment eligible for exemption.
(C) 
The cost of new residential construction or improvements to be exempted and the schedule of taxes exempted existing at the time of the initial request for tax exemption shall be applicable to that exemption request and subsequent amendment to this article, if any, shall not apply to requests initiated prior to their adoption.
(D) 
Appeals from the reassessment and the amount eligible for the exemption may be taken by the City of Meadville or by the taxpayer as provided by law.
[Ord. 3742 § 5, 2015]
No amendment to this article shall be binding upon any other taxing activity unless consented to by resolution or ordinance of each local taxing authority which has consented to be bound by the terms of this article.
[Ord. 3742 § 6, 2015]
Unless prior to that date which is three years from the effective date of the ordinance codified in this article, the city council of the City of Meadville adopts an ordinance or takes other appropriate actions extending the ordinance codified in this article, this article shall automatically “sunset” and terminate exactly three years from the effective date of the ordinance codified in this article. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any taxpayer who has received or applied for exemption granted by this article prior to the expiration or termination of this the ordinance codified in this article, if said exemption is granted, shall be entitled to the full exemption authorized herein; provided, that the improvements and/or residential construction is completed and a certificate of occupancy is issued by the City of Meadville within two years following the date of termination and/or expiration of the ordinance codified in this article.
[Ord. 3742 § 7, 2015]
Any exemption made permissible under this article shall not be applied to any properties not subject to exemption hereunder and under The Improvement of Deteriorating Real Property or Areas Tax Exemption Act, 72 P.S. Section 4711-101, et seq.