El Centro Municipal Code Div. 2 Maintenance and Security

(a) Commencing on July 1, 2020, the responsible party must inspect or cause to be inspected its vacant property to determine (i) if the vacant property is or has become distressed and (ii) for compliance with this article. The responsible party may contract with a local property management company to perform such inspection.

(b) Thereafter, the vacant property must be inspected monthly.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

(a) Vacant properties shall be, in comparison to the neighborhood standard, kept free of weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials, any accumulation of newspapers, circulars, flyers, notices (except those required by federal, state or local law), discarded personal items, including, but not limited to, inoperable or abandoned vehicles, furniture, clothing, large and small appliances, printed material or any other items that give the appearance that the property is abandoned or distressed.

(b) The property shall be maintained free of graffiti, tagging or similar markings by removal or painting over with an exterior grade paint that matches the color of the exterior of the structure.

(c) Visible front and side yards shall be maintained to the neighborhood standard existing at the time registration was required.

(d) Pools and spas shall be fenced as required by state law and kept in working order so the water remains clear and free of pollutants and debris to prevent pools and spas from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other vectors, or drained and kept dry.

(e) Adherence to this section does not relieve the responsible party of any obligations set forth in any other code or law, covenants conditions and restrictions, or any home owners association rules and regulations that may apply to the property.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

Vacant properties shall be maintained in a secure manner so as not to be accessible to unauthorized persons. Secure manner includes such measures as may be directed by the enforcement authority that assist in making the property inaccessible to unauthorized persons, including, but not limited to, the installation or repair of fences and walls, chaining/padlocking of gates or doors, the repair and locking or boarding of door, window and/or other openings.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

(a) If the owner's inspection of the vacant property shows that it is distressed, it is the responsibility of each and every owner immediately to rehabilitate the property to the standards set out in Sections 7-136 and 7-137 above. Such rehabilitation shall be done at the sole expense of the owner.

(b) In the event that the enforcement authority determines a vacant property is distressed, the enforcement authority first shall determine if the property is registered. If it is registered, the enforcement authority shall notify the owner by email or written letter to rehabilitate the property within a thirty (30) calendar day period (or longer as determined by the enforcement authority in its sole discretion).

i. If the owner is out of the area, the owner must contract with a local property management company to perform inspections as required by this article and update the registration to provide current contact information for that company. In addition, the property shall be posted with the name and a twenty-four (24) hour contact phone number of the local property management company. The posting must be maintained in a legible conditions. Failure to do so is a further violation of this article.

ii. Once the property has been rehabilitated, the owner or local property management company must provide the City with an authorization to enter property letter. Failure to do so is a further violation of this article.

(c) If the owner fails or refuses to register and to rehabilitate the property within the time frame provided, each owner may be cited as provided in this article.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

(a) In the event that the enforcement authority determines a vacant property is distressed, and the property has not been registered, the enforcement authority shall attempt to identify the notify the owner. Assuming the owner can be identified, the owner will be notified by email or written letter to both register and to rehabilitate the property within a thirty (30) calendar day period (or longer as determined by the enforcement authority in its sole discretion).

i. If the owner is out of the area, the owner also must contract with a local property management company to perform inspections as required by this article and update the registration to provide current contact information for that company. In addition, the property shall be posted with the name and a twenty-four (24) hour contact phone number of the local property management company. The posting must be maintained in a legible conditions. Failure to do so is a further violation of this article.

ii. Once the property has been rehabilitated, the owner or local property management company must provide the city with a 602 letter. Failure to do so is a further violation of this article.

(b) If the owner fails or refuses to rehabilitate the property within the time frame provided, each owner may be cited as provided in this article and shall also be cited for failure to register the property.

(c) The city also may require a non-compliant property owner to agree in writing to future abatement of the property at the owner's expense through a lien on the property or otherwise or to consent to the appointment of a receiver.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

Nothing in this article contravenes the authority of the city to abate public nuisances as set out in the City Code and to assess or lien the property for such costs or to take any and all other action legally available to it, including but not limited to the appointment of a receiver.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)

The administrative fine for each violation of sections 7-136 and 7-137 shall be five hundred dollars ($500.00) per day for residential property and one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per day for non-residential property the first violation within a 12-month period. A citation may be imposed for each day the violation continues. The citation may be appealed as provided by chapter 18, article XI of the City Code.

(Ord. No. 20-01, § 2, 4-7-20)