By Ray King
During its meeting Monday, the Pine Bluff City Council heard the first reading of a proposed amendment to the city’s existing ordinance dealing with nuisances by adding a section dealing with vacant buildings.
The proposed amendment said vacant buildings are detrimental to surrounding buildings and neighborhoods, provide havens for drug activity and vermin, hinder investments and many of the building’s owners do not live in Pine Bluff or Jefferson County.
The amendment goes on to say that identifying the number and location of vacant buildings in the city is “the first step in reducing imminent and future harmful effects to the structures present.”
The Code Enforcement Department is charged with inspecting any premises in the city to assure compliance with the amended ordinance and if it is determined to be vacant, it will be registered as vacant, and an annual inspection will be conducted.
The building will then be secured, and the exterior building and premises are to be maintained in accordance with existing city requirements.
The building may be registered as vacant by the owner of the property or by Code Enforcement. If the latter, the owner of the property will be notified by certified mail sent to the last known address of the owner(s) listed in the deed records of Jefferson County.
The amendment provides that an annual fee of $200 for each vacant residential property and $500 for each vacant commercial property will be due at the time of registering the property or if the property is registered by code enforcement, the fee will be due not later than 30 days after the building is registered, or the owner notified, whichever is later.
If the fee is not paid, the property owner can be cited and may be ordered to appear in Pine Bluff District Court which can assess a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 for the violation. A lien can also be placed on the property to collect unpaid registration fees.
