HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/25/2022 05. Summary of vacant building safety project 1
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 5.
For Meeting of: January 25, 2022
ITEM TITLE: Summary of vacant building safety project
SUBMITTED BY: Glenn Denman, Code Administration Manager
Tony Doan, Supervising Code Inspector
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
This report is regarding the Codes Division enforcement of the International Property
Maintenance Code as part of a citywide vacant/dangerous building safety project. The report
contains a memorandum showing enforcement process, prioritization, potential ordinance
changes and next steps, as well as examples of recent cases.
ITEM BUDGETED:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
D memo vacant Duiiaings 1/20/2022 Corer Memo
0 Before-After Examples of Buildings 1/14/2022 Backup Material
2
Memorandum
DATE: January 25, 2022
TO: Yakima City Council
COPY: Bob Harrison, City Manager
Joan Davenport, Community Development Director
FROM: Glenn Denman, Code Administration Manager
RE: DangerousNacant Residential Building Study Session
With the February 2021 adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), the
City of Yakima Codes Division has additional tools to address vacant, dangerous and
dilapidated residential structures that are an attractive nuisance and a blight to our community.
Many have been chronically vacant, dangerous and attract other neighborhood crimes. Such
structures discourage investment in neighboring properties.
Compliance Process
The IPMC is a standard that provides minimum sanitation and other habitability standards. It
also provides 11 specific criteria that enables codes officers to determine if a building is
considered dangerous. Notification procedures to property owners require that reasonable
timeframes be provided to restore or demolish structures, depending on the nature of the
violations. An initial "Notice of Violation" is sent to owners that may provide 30 days for an initial
reply or to apply for permits. Owners may enter into a Voluntary Correction Agreement with
milestones for obtaining compliance. Up to one year or more may be allowed to bring the
structure up to habitable standards, or if demolition is the only option, a shorter timeframe would
be appropriate, depending on circumstances.
If an owner fails to respond to the Notice of Violation, a Notice and Order is sent next. Prior to
sending a Notice and Order, a title search must be obtained at a cost of approximately $300 so
that notice may be provided to all interested parties including banks, or other title holders. Since
costs are incurred, a process is started to recover those costs by placing a lien on the property
tax rolls. Filing fees are also added which can cost$200 or more. Additional fines and costs and
staff time may accumulate throughout the process. Code enforcement works closely with Legal
staff to ensure appropriate steps are taken.
Prioritizing Enforcement by Tiers
Since enforcement incurs up front cost and staff time, prioritizing enforcement is an option. A 3-
tier approach may be utilized with the most egregious fire/life/safety issues being the top priority
such as the following:
Tier 1. Fire damaged, condemned or dangerous structures
• Buildings that are in an immediately apparent dangerous state (visible fire or
structural damages)
• Burned structures are required to be abated of all smoke damage as well as
other more obvious damage
• Fire debris is required to be removed from the site within 10 days
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• Oftentimes, fire debris is removed, but the structure may remain in a burned
state for long periods of time
Tier 2. Vacant structures that have multiple violations within a 12-month period
• Violations (outside of the building) may include chronic graffiti, blight and trash,
being unsecure, or other attractive nuisances
• The building itself may be boarded up, but not have visible dangerous amenities
Tier 3. Vacant and secure but uninhabitable
• This vacant building is one that may have faulty or non-existent plumbing,
mechanical or electrical systems
• These conditions may be defined by the IPMC as dangerous, but may not have
readily apparent issues such as Tiers 1 and 2
While staff plans to inventory buildings that fall into all these categories, we are aware of
approximately 15 structures that, due to the more urgent nature of the safety violations, fit Tier 1
criteria. Staff will make those an enforcement priority.
IPMC Changes
Codes Division and Legal Department staff are reviewing ways that the IPMC may be revised to
provide more clarity for long term vacant properties that may not be visibly dangerous. Changes
may include:
• Adding criteria to better determine when a building may be subject to demolition vs.
rehabilitation
o A percentage structure may be established between the market value of the
building vs. a typical cost of rehabilitation
o If rehabilitation exceeds 50% of the building value, owners may be discouraged
from making such repairs
o When building damages cost more than half its value to repair, it may be better
to demolish the structure
• Adding definitions to the IPMC to clarify when a building is ready for enforcement
o Some buildings are not"visibly" dangerous, but are chronically vacant, boarded
up and are attractants for other property crimes
o Establish criteria for when a building can be defined as a "chronic attractive
nuisance"
• Revising timeframes in order to reduce the amount of time a building may be left
chronically vacant and in a state of disrepair
o Currently, an owner may have up to one year to restore habitability, and up to
two years in some cases
o Long timeframes may leave buildings vulnerable to other issues
• Potentially develop exemptions for special situations such as historic properties
Next Steps
• Code enforcement shall begin enforcement of the 15 designated Tier 1 properties
immediately. During the inventory of structures, including input from the Fire and Police
Departments, Code enforcement shall identify an additional 35 properties that are of
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significant concern and begin enforcement as needed with the tools that exist in the
I PMC.
• Code Enforcement staff will conduct field review to analyze and catalog structures of
concern into an inventory.
• City council will receive written quarterly reports on progress and draft ordinances as
needed for amendments to the IPMC.
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