Ordinance targets bad buildings

As the city gets more aggressive in addressing dilapidated housing, an amended ordinance was introduced at Monday night's City Council meeting to add standards in determining when structures in the McCook must be razed or repaired.

The council approved the ordinance on first reading. As with all ordinances, it must go through three readings before it becomes law.

City Manager Kurt Fritsch said at Monday night's meeting the amendment "cleans up the language" of current city ordinance regarding buildings determined as unsafe or a nuisance.

The amendment states that after the building inspector, fire official, health official or governing body deems a structure unsafe or a public nuisance, notice is given to the city clerk, who will then serve written notice to the owner of the property, notifying him that the condition must be remedied with 60 days.

It adds that, following the recommendation of the McCook building inspector, if a structure can be reasonably repaired or altered so it no longer violates city code, it will be ordered to be repaired.

In addition, it states that the structure will be ordered to be demolished or removed if it cannot be reasonably repaired to meet city code, is 50 percent damaged or deteriorated, or is a fire hazard.

The 60-day notice will notify the owners that the property has been designated as unsafe and a nuisance and states the reasons why.

It tells the owner that the condition of the premise must be remedied within 60 days and the determination may be appealed to the city clerk within 10 days of receipt of the notice.

If the owner has not complied within 60 days of receipt of the notice to improve conditions or appeal the decision, the McCook building inspector can proceed to remedy the condition of the property or to demolish it.

The council also approved Monday night two other ordinances on second readings. One creates a floodplain management plan to meet federal requirements in order to maintain flood insurance within the city.

The other amends current city ordinances to expedite the removal of abandoned structures in the city.

The amendment adds the definition of an unsafe structure one that is "50 percent damaged, decayed or deteriorated from its original structure."

The amendment will be helpful in determining buildings in the city that have been destroyed or burned and left standing.