Explanation
BACKGROUND: In response to the Mayor and City Council requests to better address nuisance vacant properties, The Development Department created, and Council passed two ordinances #0946-2004 and 0947-2004 on July 19, 2004. Those ordinances established a new Title 47, Nuisance Abatement Code, and revised several other codes including the Columbus Housing Code, Title 45. The ordinances developed innovative new means of addressing vacant building blight. The Neighborhood Services Division, Code Enforcement section identified several necessary minor revisions during implementation of the ordinances. These revisions include minor language revisions to better state the intended requirements, and font revisions to have the code be consistent with other codes. Finally, this ordinance will re-establish a Chapter of the Columbus Housing Code such that Code Enforcement can effectively vacate occupied dwellings not fit for human occupancy or use.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this ordinance.
Title
To Revise Title 47, Nuisance Abatement Code, of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 to adjust font in a manner consistent with Columbus City Code and insert minor language; and to establish Chapter 4513 in the Columbus Housing Code, Columbus City Codes, 1959 to provide Housing Code authorization to declare buildings and structures as unfit for human habitation and order they be vacated when appropriate.
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinances # 0946-2004, and 0947-2004, passed by City Council on July 19, 2004, creating a new Title 47, Nuisance Abatement Code which included significant innovative measures intended to address nuisance vacant land and buildings having a blighting effect on the city's neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Since the passage of said ordinances, the Neighborhood Services Division's Code Enforcement Section has been revising and implementing correct procedure, policy, and methods to incorporate the innovations included in the ordinances; and
WHEREAS, These efforts over the last months have revealed the need for a number of minor revisions to the language in said ordinances, and
WHEREAS, Font changes, including italicization and capitalization will update the sections such that they will be consistent with current ordinance form without change the requirements or intention of the code; and
WHEREAS, The need for minor revision to four sections of Chapter 4513 of the Columbus Housing Code related to Code Enforcement authority to order buildings vacated when they are unfit for human habitation or use became apparent during initial implementation; and
WHEREAS, the Property Maintenance Appeals Board has reviewed these proposed code changes at its monthly public meeting on November 8, 2004, and has voted to recommend their adoption by City Council; now therefore,
Full text of ordinance is contained in the attachment.