CITY OF SEATTLE

ORDINANCE __________________

COUNCIL BILL __________________

AN ORDINANCE related to monitoring and inspecting vacant buildings for compliance with the requirements of the Housing and Building Maintenance Code; amending Section 22.900F.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and amending Ordinance 125704 and Ordinance 125727 to modify monitoring fees and monitoring program requirements.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Section 22.900F.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 125704, is amended as follows:

22.900F.010 Monitoring vacant buildings

A. (( A )) An (( re ))inspection fee shall be charged as (( set forth )) provided for in Table F-1 for 22.900F.010 for (( reinspections )) inspections of buildings closed pursuant to or in response to the requirements of the Housing and Building Maintenance Code. Building and premises shall be maintained in compliance with the standards of the Housing and Building Maintenance Code, Land Use Code, Solid Waste Code , and Weeds and Vegetation Ordinance.

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Section 2. Section 22.206.200 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 125727, is amended as follows:

22.206.200 Minimum standards for vacant buildings

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F. Inspection and monitoring of vacant buildings

1. When the Director has reason to believe that a building is vacant, the Director may inspect the building and the premises. If the Director identifies a violation of the minimum standards for vacant buildings, a notice of violation may be issued pursuant to Section 22.206.220. Thereafter the premises shall be inspected monthly to determine whether the building and its accessory structures are vacant and closed to entry in conformance with the standards of this Code.

2. The Director shall (( monitor and )) inspect and monitor, monthly , vacant buildings and any structures accessory thereto:

a. (( For which there have been three or more notices of )) When a notice of violation has been issued (( within any consecutive 365-day period )) for violating this Section 22.206.200 and the violation is not fully remedied by the compliance date established in the notice of violation, or the violation is fully remedied by the compliance date but a subsequent violation of this Section 22.206.200 is documented within 365 days from the date the first notice of violations was issued and is communicated to the building owner in writing;

b. (( Which )) That are located on a lot for which there is a Master Use Permit or Building Permit application for new development; or

c. (( Which )) That are included on a list, maintained by the Seattle Fire Department or the Seattle Police Department, of vacant buildings that have generated calls for dispatch.

3. Monthly inspections and monitoring shall cease at the earliest of the following:

a. When the building is repaired pursuant to the requirements of this Code and reoccupied;

b. When the building meets the maintenance requirements of this Code (( and has subsequently been subject to )) for three consecutive (( monthly )) inspections without violation; or

c. When the building and any accessory structures have been demolished.

4. A building or structure accessory thereto that remains vacant and open to entry after the closure date in a Director’s order or notice of violation is found and declared to be a public nuisance. The Director is hereby authorized to summarily close the building to unauthorized entry. The costs of closure shall be collected from the owner in the manner provided by law.

5. A premises that contains a vacant building or accessory structure that fails to comply with subsection 22.206.200.A.4 after the compliance date in a Director’s order or notice of violation is found and declared to be a public nuisance. The Director is hereby authorized to summarily abate the public nuisance by removing all debris, combustible materials including vegetation overgrowth, litter and garbage, junk, waste, used or salvageable materials, and inoperable vehicles and vehicle parts, from the vacant building, accessory structures, and the premises including but not limited to adjoining yard areas. The costs of abatement shall be collected from the owner in the manner provided by law.

6. Monthly inspection and monitoring charges shall be assessed and collected as a fee under the Permit Fee Ordinance (Chapters 22.900A through 22.900G).

Section 3. If any section or subsection of the Seattle Municipal Code affected by this ordinance is amended by another ordinance without reference to amendments made by this ordinance, each ordinance shall be given effect to the extent that the amendments do not conflict in purpose, and the code reviser may publish the section or subsection in the official code with all amendments incorporated therein.

Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force on June 1, 2019.

Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2019, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2019.

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President ____________ of the City Council

Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.

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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor

Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.

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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)