[Adopted 4-25-2005 by Ord. No. 04-05-0244 (Ch. 16, Art. IV, of the 1991 Code)]
The following words, terms, and phrases, when
used in this article, have the meanings ascribed to them in this section,
except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different
meaning:
A neighbor whose property touches the property in question.
Good-faith efforts by the owner of the property to obtain
one or more occupants of the property. These good-faith efforts may
include, without limitation, one or more of the following: (1) making
substantial financial expenditures in comparison with the value of
the property; (2) listing the property for sale or lease, or both,
with one or more real estate brokers, for a price and on terms, or
for a rental that is realistic considering the fair market or fair
market rental value of the property; or (3) advertising, using one
or more signs on the property and at least one other medium, the availability
of the property for sale or rental for a price and on terms or at
a rental that is realistic considering the fair market value or fair
rental value of the property. Sporadic attempts to sell or lease the
property during the privilege year may be viewed as not constituting
a good-faith marketing effort.
Any property which is listed during the entire privilege
year as vacant in the records of a town or town's department of minimum
housing.
A plan to rehabilitate a vacant and abandoned property within
a set time frame for a use in conformance with the Town's Comprehensive
Plan.
Any organization exempt from taxation pursuant to § 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)] whose
exempt purposes include the provision of affordable housing to low-
and moderate-income households.
The twelve-month period corresponding to the calendar year.
The Department of Planning.
Any property which:
Is a building that has remained continuously
unoccupied during the privilege year or a lot with no existing structure
that is littered with trash and obviously abandoned;
Designation as vacant or under continuous citation.
In the case of property containing one or more
buildings used in whole or in part for one or more dwelling units
immediately prior to the time the property became vacant, has been
under continuous designation as vacant by the a town's department
of minimum housing during the privilege year; or
In the case of property containing one or more
buildings, none of which were used in whole or in part for one or
more dwelling units immediately prior to the time the property became
vacant, has been under continuous citation by an agency of the Town
for violation of minimum housing code provisions relating to the health
or safety of citizens during the privilege year.
The Town shall impose a tax upon the privilege
of utilizing property as vacant and abandoned property within the
Town during any privilege year commencing with the privilege year
beginning January 1, 2000, and every privilege year thereafter. The
tax shall be in addition to any other taxes authorized by the general
or public laws.
The Building Official for the Town shall be
responsible for determining which properties are vacant and abandoned.
If the Building Official determines that a building has been continuously
unoccupied or vacant and abandoned during the privilege year, the
Building Official shall notify the Tax Assessor and the Tax Assessor
shall impose the nonutilization tax authorized by this article.
The nonutilization tax shall be removed from
the property upon certification by the Building Official to the Tax
Assessor that the property has been rehabilitated. Any development
plan proposed by a nonprofit housing organization or an abutter pursuant
to this article shall be submitted for review to the Department of
Planning and must be approved by the Department of Planning prior
to development.
The Tax Assessor shall abate the nonutilization tax if it is imposed in error or if a nonprofit housing organization or an abutter acquires the property for rehabilitation and submits a development plan that complies with the provisions of § 217-22B.
A.
The nonutilization tax authorized by this article
shall not be imposed on property owned by an abutter or a nonprofit
housing organization if:
(1)
The abutter or nonprofit housing organization submits
a proposed development plan which has been approved by the State Housing
Resources Commission or State Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation
to the Planning Department;
(2)
The proposed development plan contains a reasonable
timetable for the development or reuse of the property; and
(3)
The Planning Department determines that the proposed
development plan is in accordance with the Town's approved Comprehensive
Plan and approves it.
B.
The Planning Department shall deliver a copy of the
approved development plan to the Tax Assessor, who shall certify the
property as exempt from the nonutilization tax.
C.
Failure of the nonprofit housing organization or abutter,
without good cause, to carry out the development or reuse of the property
in accordance with the timetable set forth in the approved development
plan shall result in the property being subject to the nonutilization
tax as of the first date of assessment following the expiration of
the timetable in the approved development plan.
The tax authorized by this article shall be
measured by the assessed value of the real estate at the rate of $10
for each $100 of the assessed value of the real estate as most recently
returned by the Tax Assessor.
The tax imposed under authority of this article
shall be due and payable in the same manner as other municipal taxes
are due in the Town.
A.
In any appeal from the imposition of the tax set forth
in this article, the Tax Review Board of the Town shall find in favor
of an appellant who shows that the property assessed:
B.
Nothing contained in this article shall be deemed
to enlarge or diminish any other right of appeal that an appellant
may possess pursuant to the general or public laws, or the ordinances
of the Town.
