As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
UNSAFE BUILDINGS
All buildings or structures which have any or all of the following
defects:
A.
Those whose interior walls or other vertical structural members list,
lean or buckle to such an extent that a plumb line passing through the center
of gravity falls outside of the middle third of its base.
B.
Those which, exclusive of the foundation, show 33% or more damage or
deterioration of the supporting member or members or 50% damage or deterioration
of the nonsupporting enclosing or outside walls or covering.
C.
Those which have improperly distributed loads upon the floors or roofs
or in which the same are overloaded or which have insufficient strength to
be reasonably safe for the purpose used.
D.
Those which have been damaged by fire, wind or other causes so as to
have become dangerous to life, safety, morals or the general health and welfare
of the occupants or the people of the Village of Angola.
E.
Those which have become or are so dilapidated, decayed, unsafe, unsanitary
or which so utterly fail to provide the amenities essential to decent living
that they are unfit for human habitation, or are likely to cause sickness
or disease, so as to work injury to the health, morals, safety or general
welfare of those living therein.
F.
Those having light, air and sanitation facilities which are inadequate
to protect the health, morals, safety or general welfare of human beings who
live or may live therein.
G.
Those having inadequate facilities for egress in case of fire or panic
or those having insufficient stairways, elevators, fire escapes or other means
of escape.
H.
Those which have parts thereof which are so attached that they may fall
and injure members of the public or property.
I.
Those which, because of their condition, are unsafe, unsanitary or dangerous
to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of the people of this Village.
J.
Those buildings existing in violation of any provision of Chapter
245, entitled "Zoning," and any other provisions of this Municipal Code.
K.
Any building or structure which remains vacant and unattended continuously
for a period of five years.
The provisions of this chapter shall be in addition to and in furtherance
of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, including
but not limited to Sections 108 and 109 of the Property Maintenance Code of
New York State.
The following standards shall be followed in substance by the Code Enforcement
Officer and the Board of Trustees in ordering repair, vacation or demolition:
A. If the unsafe building can reasonably be repaired so
that it will no longer exist in violation of the terms of this chapter, it
shall be ordered repaired.
B. If the unsafe building is in such condition as to make
it dangerous to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of its occupants,
it shall be ordered to be vacated.
C. In any case where an unsafe building is 50% damaged or
decayed or deteriorated from its original value or structure, it shall be
demolished; and in all cases where a building cannot be repaired so that it
will no longer exist in violation of the terms of this chapter, it shall be
demolished. In all cases where an unsafe building is a fire hazard existing
or erected in violation of the terms of this chapter or any other provisions
of this Municipal Code or statutes of the State of New York, it shall be demolished.
All unsafe buildings within the terms of §
71-1 of this chapter are hereby declared to be public nuisances and shall be repaired, vacated or demolished as hereinbefore and hereinafter provided.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall:
A. Inspect any building, wall or structure about which complaints
are filed by any person to the effect that a building, wall or structure is
or may be existing in violation of this chapter.
B. Inspect any building, wall or structure reported (as
hereinafter provided for) by the fire department of this Village or the Town
of Evans Police Department as probably existing in violation of the terms
of this chapter.
C. Notify, personally or in writing, the owner or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property, by registered mail, addressed to the last known address, if any, of the owner or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or other person having a vested or contingent interest in the same, as shown by the records of the Assessor or in the office of the County Clerk, of any building found by him to be an unsafe building within the standards set forth in §
71-1 of this chapter.
(1) The owner must vacate or repair or demolish said building
in accordance with the terms of the notice and this chapter.
(2) The occupant or lessee must vacate said building or may
have it repaired in accordance with the notice and remain in possession.
(3) Any mortgagee, agent or other persons having an interest
in said building may, at his own risk, repair, vacate or demolish said building
or have such work or act done; provided that any person notified under this
subsection to repair, vacate, or demolish any building shall be given such
reasonable time, not exceeding 30 days, as may be necessary to do, or have
done, the work or act required by the notice provided for herein.
D. Set forth in the notice provided for in Subsection
C hereof a description of the building or structure deemed unsafe, a statement of the particulars which make the building or structure an unsafe building and an order requiring the same to be put in such condition as to comply with the terms of this chapter within such length of time, not exceeding 30 days, as is reasonable.
E. Report to the Board of Trustees any noncompliance with the notice provided for in Subsections
C and
D hereof.
F. Appear at all hearings conducted by the Board of Trustees
and testify as to the condition of unsafe buildings.
G. Place a notice on all unsafe buildings reading as follows: "This building has been found to be an unsafe building by this Code Enforcement Officer. This notice is to remain on this building until it is repaired, vacated or demolished in accordance with the notice which has been given the owner, or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property, by registered mail, addressed to the last known address, if any, of the owner or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or other person having vested or contingent interest in the same, as shown by the records of the Assessor or in the office of the County Clerk, of any building found by me to be an unsafe building within the standards set forth in §
71-1 of Chapter
71, entitled 'Unsafe Buildings,' of the Village of Angola Municipal Code. It is unlawful to remove this notice until such notice is complied with."
The Board of Trustees shall:
A. Upon receipt of a report of the Code Enforcement Officer as provided for in § 71-4E hereof, give written notice to the owner, or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property, by registered mail, addressed to the last known address, if any, of the owner or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or other person having a vested or contingent interest in the same, as shown by the records of the Assessor or in the office of the County Clerk, of any building found by him to be an unsafe building within the standards set forth in §
71-1 of this chapter, to appear before it on the date specified in the notice to show cause why the building or structure reported to be an unsafe building should not be repaired, vacated, or demolished in accordance with the statement of particulars set forth in the Code Enforcement Officer's notice provided for herein in § 71-4D.
B. Hold a hearing and hear such testimony as the Code Enforcement
Officer or the owner, or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives,
agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest
in the property as shown by the records of the Assessor or in the office of
the County Clerk, shall offer relative to the unsafe building.
C. Make written findings of fact from the testimony offered pursuant to Subsection
B as to whether or not the building in question is an unsafe building within the terms of §
71-1 hereof.
D. Issue an order based upon findings of fact made pursuant to Subsection
C commanding the owner, or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property, as shown by the records of the Assessor or in the office of the County Clerk, to repair, vacate or demolish any building found to be an unsafe building within the terms of this chapter; provided that any person so notified, except the owners, shall have the privilege of either vacating or repairing said unsafe building, or any person not the owner of said unsafe building but having an interest in said building may demolish said unsafe building at his own risk to prevent the acquiring of a lien against the land upon which the said unsafe building stands by the Village as provided in Subsection
E hereof.
E. If such person fails to comply with the order provided for in Subsection
D hereof within 10 days, the Board of Trustees shall cause such building or structure to be repaired, vacated, or demolished as the facts may warrant, under the standards hereinbefore provided for in §
71-2 of this chapter, and shall, with the assistance of the Village Attorney, cause the costs of such repair, vacation, or demolition to be charged against the land on which the building existed as a municipal lien, or cause such costs to be added to the tax rolls as an assessment, or to be levied as a special tax against the land upon which the building stands or did stand, or to be recovered in a suit at law against the owner; provided that, in cases where such procedure is desirable and any delay thereby caused will not be dangerous to the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of the people of this Village, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the Village Attorney to take legal action to force the owner to make all necessary repairs or demolish the building.
F. Report to the Village Attorney the names of all persons not complying with the order provided for in §
71-5D hereof.
In cases where it reasonably appears that there is immediate danger to the life or safety of any person unless an unsafe building, as defined herein, is immediately repaired, vacated or demolished, the Code Enforcement Officer shall report such facts to the Board of Trustees; and the Board of Trustees shall cause the immediate repair, vacation or demolition of such unsafe building. The costs of such emergency repair, vacation or demolition of such unsafe building shall be collected in the same manner as provided in §
71-5E.
In cases, except emergency cases, where the owner, occupant or lessee
is absent from the Village, all notices or orders provided for herein shall
be sent by registered mail to the party in interest as described in § 71-4C,
to the last known address of such party in interest, and a copy of such notice
shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the unsafe building to which it
relates. Such mailing and posting shall be deemed adequate service.
No officer, agent or employee of the Village of Angola shall render
himself personally liable for any damage that may accrue to persons or property
as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his duties
under this chapter. Any suit brought against any officer, agent or employee
of the Village of Angola as a result of any act required or permitted in the
discharge of his duties under this chapter shall be defended by the Village
Attorney until the final determination of the proceeding therein.
Any volunteer fireman of the Village Fire Department may make a report,
in writing, to the Code Enforcement Officer of any buildings or structures
which are, may be, or are suspected to be unsafe buildings within the terms
of this chapter.
All employees of the Town of Evans Police Department, or any other law
enforcement official, shall make a report, in writing, to the Code Enforcement
Officer of any buildings or structures which are or may be deemed to be unsafe
buildings within the terms of this chapter. Such reports must be delivered
to the Code Enforcement Officer within 24 hours of the discovery of such building.