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Aldermen add formal demolition rules to municipal code to address unsafe structures
Summary
The Board of Aldermen approved a code amendment adding Section 18-10 to formalize demolition procedures, utility disconnects, hazardous-material handling and notice requirements when property owners do not remediate unsafe buildings.
The Board of Aldermen on first reading approved a code amendment adding section 18‑10 to the Branson Municipal Code to establish formal demolition procedures for structures that present hazards and where owners do not act.
Planning and building staff said the change closes a regulatory gap: without a demolition code the city had limited enforceable options when a structure becomes unsafe and the owner is unresponsive. The proposed section requires an owner authorization form, utility‑disconnection verification, hazardous‑material handling according to applicable agency rules, notification to adjacent property owners if they are impacted, temporary barriers if work is performed in the right‑of‑way, and coordination with emergency services for high‑risk demolitions.
City staff said the amendment is intended to protect public safety and adjacent properties, provide clear expectations to owners and contractors, and give the city legal authority to require demolition and recover costs when necessary. The Board approved the amendment on first reading by voice vote; the item will return for final reading as required by city procedure.
