Title
Amending Section PM 306 of the Philadelphia Maintenance Code, entitled "Vacant Property," by requiring owners of long term vacant properties to secure their properties against blight, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
PM-306.7 Vacant buildings-Owner required to act-Enforcement authority.
(a) (1) The owner of any building that has become vacant shall within 30 days after the building becomes vacant or within 30 days after assuming ownership of the building, whichever is later, file a registration statement for each such building with the department of Licenses and Inspections ("L&I") on a form provided by that department for such purposes. The registration shall remain valid for six months from the date of registration. The owner is hereby required to renew the registration for successive six-month periods as long as the building remains vacant and shall pay a registration or renewal fee in the amount prescribed in paragraph (3) of this subsection (a) for each registered building; provided, however, that all eleemosynary, religious, educational, benevolent or charitable associations organized on a not-for-profit basis and all governmental agencies shall be exempt from the payment of the registration fee. The owner shall notify the department of L&I, within 20 days, of any change in the registration information by filing an amended registration statement on a form provided by the department of L&I for such purposes. The registration statement shall be deemed prima facie proof of the statements therein contained in any administrative enforcement proceeding or court proceeding instituted by the city against the owner or owners of the building. After filing a registration statement, the building owner shall provide access to the city to conduct an exterior and interior inspection of the building to determine compliance with the municipal code, following reasonable notice, during...
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