[[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Waterford 8-11-1976
by L.L. No. 1-1976. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Waterford, County of Saratoga,
State of New York, pursuant to the provisions of the Village Law of the State
of New York, and other law, does hereby on the 11th day of August 1976 enact
the following chapter to provide for the repair or demolition of certain unsafe
buildings in the Village of Waterford.
A.
Whenever it shall come to the attention of the Village
Board that any building or part of a building in the Village of Waterford
is or may be unsafe to the degree that it endangers or may endanger the physical
safety of the general public using the adjacent public streets, sidewalks
or highways, the Village Board shall have the authority to inquire into the
condition of such building and, if in its judgment it finds such building
to be so unsafe, shall have the power to make such order as it deems appropriate
relative to the demolition, repair or strengthening of such building, after
giving the owner thereof a written or printed notice and a reasonable opportunity
to be heard, as the nature of the occasion requires.
A.
A certified copy of any order issued by the Village Board
pursuant to this chapter shall be served upon the owner of such building as
shown by the latest assessment rolls of the village or to the agent of any
such owner.
B.
If the building is vacant or the owner and agent absent,
such order shall be served by attaching a copy thereof to the building and
delivering a copy thereof to any person having charge of the building and
by mailing a copy thereof to the owner thereof at the address shown on the
latest assessment rolls of the village. Proof of service of such order in
this manner shall be deemed sufficient service.
If after the service of such order the owner of any such building shall
neglect to comply therewith, the Village Board is hereby authorized and empowered
to employ such labor and furnish such materials and take such steps as in
its judgment may be necessary to prevent such building from remaining in an
unsafe condition endangering neighboring buildings or the safety of the general
public using the public streets, sidewalks or highways adjacent to such building,
or it may undertake the demolition of such building itself.
A.
The value of the work done and of any materials furnished by the village pursuant to § 92-4 hereof shall, when properly certified, be audited and paid by the Village of Waterford in the same manner as other claims against the village are audited and paid, and the amount so paid shall be and remain a lien against the property upon which the work is done and shall be collected from the owner of such property in the same manner as village taxes are collected.
B.
The village may also institute an action at law against
the owner of such property to recover the cost of such work, which action
shall be in addition to the right to assess the cost as a lien against the
property.
A.
The Village Board is hereby authorized to engage the
services of such technical experts or consultants as in its judgment may from
time to time be necessary or appropriate in connection with its determination
of the condition of a particular building and/or the nature and scope of the
order to be made by the Board with respect to such building.
B.
The Village Board may also, by resolution, delegate any
of its powers or duties under this chapter to such individual or individuals
as it may from time to time select and appoint for such purpose.
The Village Board shall, each fiscal year, budget and appropriate and
from time to time provide sufficient funds for the purposes of this chapter.
This chapter is enacted for the general welfare of the residents of
the Village of Waterford at large and not for the benefit of any particular
individual or individuals. Nothing contained herein is to be deemed or construed
to create or enlarge any liability on the part of the Village of Waterford
beyond that otherwise provided by express provision of law.
