Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation certifies demolition costs to the County Auditor to become special assessments against the property taxes.
These costs must be certified to the County Auditor so the City can attempt to recover the funds spent on demolition of nuisance structures.
The demolitions were done pursuant to Environmental Court orders and the Columbus Building Code.
These demolitions were completed as part of the Mayors Vacant and Abandoned Properties Program (VAP).
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation. The City will incur no expenditures with the passage of this ordinance.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to certify a report of assessments to the Franklin County Auditor for certain properties for the cost of demolishing structures found to be public nuisances.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Code Sections 4701.08 and 4109.06 state that upon failure of the property owner to abate a nuisance within the time limits specified, the Director of the Department of Development, or his authorized agent, is authorized to cause the demolition of the nuisance structure. These sections further provide that the owner of such a demolished structure shall be billed for the cost of such demolition and upon failure of such owner to pay such cost of demolition, the City of Columbus may cause such cost of demolition to be levied as an assessment against the property which was the subject of the abatement action; and
WHEREAS, certain structures have been demolished in accordance with the provisions of the Columbus City Code Sections 4701.08 and 4109.06; and
WHEREAS, certain property owners have been billed for the cost of such demolitions and have failed to pay such cost; and
WHEREAS, it is therefore necessary to assess the cost of such demolitions against the properties which were the subject of the abatement actions; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the City to authorize the Clerk to certify assessments for demolition costs to the Franklin County Auditor and have them levied as a special assessment against the property which was the subject of the demolition abatement action and recovered in the manner provided for the recovery of special assessments; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the attached list showing the owner's name, parcel number, address of the demolished structure, and the cost of demolition of the structure, be and is hereby approved.
SECTION 2. That the City Clerk is authorized to certify, in writing, to the Franklin County Auditor a report of such assessments and charges which shall then be entered upon the tax duplicate of Franklin County, Ohio and be collected in the manner provided for the recovery of special assessments.
SECTION 3. That upon such recovery of such demolition cost the proceeds shall be transmitted to the treasurer of the City of Columbus, Ohio and returned to the demolition fund from which they were originally disbursed.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest date provided by law.