Council halves vacant-building fee for West Side Leatherworks after city processing delays

The City Council reduced a vacant-building registration assessment for property at 736 Oakdale Avenue after owners told the council their permit application had been misplaced by the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI), delaying restoration work.

The owners, who operate a leather workshop, said they purchased the building in February and promptly pursued permits and repairs. They told the council they were surprised by the $2,618 assessment and asked for relief because the delay in DSI plan review and a misplaced application slowed construction during a busy summer season. “We were shoveling the snow. We were maintaining it while as soon as we purchased it,” one owner said.

Legislative Hearing Officer Marcia Moorman recommended a downward adjustment to account for a DSI delay; during the council discussion Vice President Kim proposed reducing the billed amount further to $650 (roughly the equivalent of three months). The council adopted that amendment and ratified the assessment as amended by unanimous vote.

Council members and staff said the vacant-building fee pays for city inspections and monitoring of vacant properties, and they stressed that the city is revising the vacant-building ordinance to improve notice to new owners and give staff clearer discretion where appropriate. DSI staff acknowledged the application-processing error and the department’s director told the council “no one should ever have to go through this again,” according to council discussion.

The council’s action credits the owners for the portion of the year affected by the city’s processing delay and preserves the city’s vacant-building fee program while recognizing an operational failure in this instance.

The adopted resolution reduces the assessment to $650; staff said the owners could pay the reduced amount over time if needed, though the owners declined the payment plan.