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Pro Tem to draft commercial vacancy ordinance; council discusses registration, inspections and fees
Summary
Council Pro Tem said they will draft a commercial vacancy ordinance that would require property registration after 90 days of vacancy, an annual inspection funded by a progressive fee, and possible access for hazardous-material checks; staff (Aaron and Carrie) will review the draft and return it for council discussion.
The council’s Pro Tem told colleagues on Sept. 9 that they will prepare a draft vacancy ordinance aimed at commercial properties, proposing registration after a 90-day vacancy period, an annual inspection program supported by a progressive fee schedule, and mechanisms to ensure insurance coverage and hazardous-material checks where needed.
"After a 90 day vacancy, they would need to, basically register it with us," the Pro Tem said, describing a framework that would require registration, payment of a fee to fund inspections and allow authorized staff access to interior spaces to check for hazards such as mold or asbestos. The Pro Tem said the initial draft will be shared with Aaron and Carrie for staff review and then returned to council as a discussion item.
Council members asked for assurances that the ordinance include insurance provisions to cover removal and cleanup if a vacant building deteriorates and suggested that the city examine whether properties slated for demolition should be handled differently. Staff said Aaron had prepared an initial draft and the Pro Tem said they had taken a first pass and would provide a rough-draft framework for staff review.
The item remains at the discussion stage; no ordinance text was adopted and no vote was taken. Staff and council indicated they will continue refining the proposed framework before returning to the council for formal consideration.
