[R.O. 2010 §505.010; CC 1970 §5-19; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974; Ord. No. 10-07 §3, 5-21-2007]
For the purpose of this Chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this Section:
AFFECTED PARTIES
The owners, occupants, lessees, mortgagees, agents, and any other persons, as shown by the land records of the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds, having interest in an unfit building at the time that notice of declaration of nuisance is given.
CITY ENGINEER
The City Engineer or his/her authorized representative for the city.
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected which requires location on the ground or is attached to something having location on the ground, including a fence, freestanding wall or a utility equipment cabinet located on an easement, the public right-of-way or private property. A sign, billboard or other advertising medium, detached or projecting, shall be construed to be a structure.
UNFIT BUILDING
Any structure or building which is unfit within the standards set forth in this Chapter.
[R.O. 2010 §505.020; CC 1970 §5-20; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
All buildings or structures, whether occupied or not, which have any or all of the following defects shall be deemed unfit buildings:
1. 
Bearing walls. Those bearing walls, or earth retaining walls, or other vertical structural members which list, lean or buckle to such an extent that a plumb line passing through the center of gravity falls outside the middle third (⅓) of its base, and which are a menace to the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the municipality.
2. 
Extensive damage. Those which, exclusive of the foundation, show thirty-three percent (33%) or more damage or deterioration of the supporting member or members, or fifty percent (50%) damage or deterioration of the non-supporting enclosing or outside walls or covering.
3. 
Improperly distributed loads. Those which have improperly distributed loads upon the floors or roofs or in which the same are overloaded, or which have insufficient strength to be reasonably safe for the purpose used.
4. 
Damage by fire, wind, etc. Those which have been damaged by fire, wind or other causes so as to become dangerous to life, safety, morals or the general health or welfare of present or future occupants or residents of the Municipality.
5. 
Extensive dilapidation. Those which have become or are so dilapidated, decayed, unsafe, unsanitary, or which so utterly fail to provide the amenities essential to decent living that they are unfit for human habitation, or are likely to cause sickness or disease, so as to work injury to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of present or future occupants or residents of the Municipality.
6. 
Inadequate light, air and sanitation facilities. Those having light, air and sanitation facilities which are inadequate to protect the health, safety or general welfare of present or future occupants.
7. 
Inadequate egress facilities. Those having inadequate facilities for egress, in case of fire, other emergency or panic.
8. 
Parts which may fall off. Those which have parts thereof which are so attached that they may fall and injure members of the public or property
9. 
Generally inadequate condition. Those which because of their general condition are unsafe, unsanitary or dangerous to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of the residents of the Municipality.
[R.O. 2010 §505.030; CC 1970 §5-21; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
All unfit buildings as defined in this Chapter are hereby declared to be detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the Municipality and to be public nuisances, and shall be repaired, vacated or demolished as provided in this Chapter.
[R.O. 2010 §505.040; CC 1970 §5-22; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
The Building Inspectors shall:
1. 
Inspection generally. Inspect or cause to be inspected as often as necessary all residential, institutional, assembly, commercial, industrial, garage, special or miscellaneous occupancy buildings for the purpose of determining whether any conditions exist which render any such place an unfit building.
2. 
Inspection on complaint basis. Inspect any building or structure about which complaints or reports are filed by any person to the effect that a building or structure is or may be existing in violation of this Chapter.
3. 
Report to City Engineer. Report to the City Engineer any violation of this Chapter or any non-compliance with any notice provided for in this Chapter.
4. 
Appear and testify at hearings. Appear at all hearings conducted by the City Engineer and testify as to the condition of unfit buildings.
[R.O. 2010 §505.050; CC 1970 §5-23; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
The City Engineer shall have the following duties:
1. 
Supervision of inspectors. The City Engineer shall supervise all Building Inspectors and cause the Building Inspectors to make inspections and perform all duties required of them by this Chapter. Upon receiving a complaint or report from any source that an unfit building exists in this Municipality, he/she shall cause an inspection to be made forthwith. In addition to the report of the Building Inspectors, the City Engineer may request that an inspection and report be made by any appropriate person, firm or corporation.
2. 
Determination of fitness of buildings. Based upon the reports of the Building Inspectors and any further investigations and reports which he/she may obtain, the City Engineer shall determine whether a building or structure is unfit. Whenever the City Engineer determines that a building or structure is unfit, he/she shall declare the building or structure a public nuisance, make an appropriate prehearing order for demolition, vacation or repair as the facts may warrant, and give written notice of his/her declaration and prehearing order as provided in Section 505.080.
[R.O. 2010 §505.060; CC 1970 §5-24; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
The employees of the Fire Department shall make a report in writing to the City Engineer of all buildings or structures which are, may be or are suspected to be unsafe buildings within the terms of this Chapter. Such reports must be delivered to the City Engineer within twenty-four (24) hours of the discovery of such buildings by any employee of the Fire Department.
[R.O. 2010 §505.070; CC 1970 §5-25; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
The City Attorney shall:
1. 
Bring suit to collect all municipal liens, assessments or costs incurred by the City Engineer in repairing or causing dangerous buildings to be vacated or demolished.
2. 
Take such other legal action as is necessary to carry out the terms and provisions of this Chapter.
[R.O. 2010 §505.080; CC 1970 §5-26; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
Upon the declaration of public nuisance by the City Engineer, he/she shall notify the affected parties that such declaration has been made. The notice may be served personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested, or if service cannot be had by either of these modes of service, then by at least one (1) publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the Municipality and by posting a copy in some prominent place on the premises. The notice shall describe the building or structure found unfit and specify the required improvements to be made to render the building or structure safe and secure, or require the unfit building or a portion thereof to be vacated or demolished within a specified time. Such notice shall be substantially in the following form:
NOTICE OF DECLARATION OF NUISANCE
To the person to whom this notice is addressed:
THE BUILDING DESCRIBED BELOW HAS BEEN DECLARED A NUISANCE.
(Insert address or other adequate description of building or structure.)
(Use one (1) or two (2) of the following three (3) paragraphs: )
NO PERSON MAY OCCUPY THIS BUILDING, OR ANY PART THEREOF, AFTER __________, 20__. After such date, no person shall occupy, enter, refuse to leave, or remain in this building or any part thereof, except persons directly employed in securing, repairing or removing such building or structure.
THIS BUILDING MUST BE REPAIRED TO CURE THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS.
WORK MUST BEGIN ON OR BEFORE ___________, 20__, AND PROCEED CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT UNNECESSARY DELAY TO COMPLETION. This order may be obeyed by demolition and removal of this building. Upon failure to repair as herein required, the City Engineer may, after hearing, order repairs to be made and the cost charged to the owner of this property as a special tax lien.
THIS BUILDING MUST BE DEMOLISHED AND REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES NO LATER THAN ____________, 20__. If demolition is not begun and carried forth promptly, the City Engineer may, after hearing, order the same done and the cost assessed against the property as a special tax lien. Upon presentation of adequate plans, the City Engineer may allow repair instead of demolition.
[R.O. 2010 §505.090; CC 1970 §5-27; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
No person shall remove any posted notice required by this Chapter from any building or structure in the Municipality. Any person removing any such notice shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or imprisonment not to exceed ten (10) days, or both such fine and imprisonment.
[R.O. 2010 §505.100; CC 1970 §5-28; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
Hearing. Upon any non-compliance with the prehearing order of the City Engineer within thirty (30) days after notice thereof is given or any longer period specified in the notice, or upon failure of the affected parties to proceed continuously with the work ordered without unnecessary delay, the City Engineer shall call and hold a full adequate hearing to determine whether the building or structure is unfit, giving the affected parties at least twenty-one (21) days written notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing. Such notice shall be given in the same manner as notice of the declaration of nuisance is given. The City Engineer shall hear such testimony as the Building Inspector or any affected parties shall offer relative to the unfit building. Any affected party may be represented by counsel, and all-affected parties shall have the opportunity to be heard.
B. 
Issue Post-Hearing Findings Of Fact. The City Engineer shall make the findings of fact from the testimony offered in such hearings on whether the building or structure in question is unfit. If evidence supports a finding that the building or structure in question is unfit, the City Engineer shall issue a post-hearing order making specific findings of fact, based upon competent and substantial evidence which shows the building or structure in question to be a nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of the Municipality and shall order repair, vacation or demolition of the building as shall be appropriate under the facts. Notice of any post-hearing orders shall be given in the same manner as notice of the declaration of a nuisance is given. If the evidence does not support a finding that the building or structure is unfit, no order shall be issued.
C. 
Special Tax Bill. If any post-hearing order of the City Engineer is not obeyed within thirty (30) days after its issuance, and if appeal of any post-hearing order is not made to the Circuit Court as provided for in this Chapter within thirty (30) days after issuance of any such order, the City Engineer shall cause such building or structure to be repaired, vacated or demolished as provided in this post-hearing order. The City Engineer shall certify the costs for such repair, vacation or demolition to the City Clerk or officer in charge of finance who shall cause a special tax bill therefor against the property to be prepared, filed and collected by the City Collector or other official collecting taxes. Except as provided in Subsection (D), and at the request of the taxpayer, the tax bill may be paid in installments over a period of not more than ten (10) years. Such assessment shall bear interest at the maximum rate that the law will allow until paid. The tax bill shall be a lien on the property until paid.
D. 
If there are proceeds of any insurance policy based upon a covered claim payment made for damage or loss to a building or other structure caused by or arising out of any fire, explosion, or other casualty loss, the ordinance may establish a procedure for the payment of up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the insurance proceeds, as set forth in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this Subsection. The ordinance shall apply only to a covered claim payment which is in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the face value of the policy covering a building or other structure:
1. 
The insurer shall withhold from the covered claim payment up to ten percent (10%) of the covered claim payment, and shall pay such monies to the City to deposit into an interest-bearing account. Any named mortgagee on the insurance policy shall maintain priority over any obligation under the ordinance.
2. 
The City shall release the proceeds and any interest which has accrued on such proceeds received under subdivision (1) of this Subsection to the insured or as the terms of the policy and endorsements thereto provide within thirty (30) days after receipt of such insurance monies, unless the City has instituted legal proceedings under the provisions of Subsection (C) of this Section. If the City has proceeded under the provisions of Subsection (C) of this Section, all monies in excess of that necessary to comply with the provisions of Subsection (C) of this Section for the removal of the building or structure, less salvage value, shall be paid to the insured.
E. 
Subsection (D) of this Section shall apply to fire, explosion, or other casualty loss claims arising on all buildings and structures.
F. 
Subsection (D) of this Section does not make the City or County a party to any insurance contract, and the insurer is not liable to any party for any amount in excess of the proceeds otherwise payable under its insurance policy.
[R.O. 2010 §505.110; CC 1970 §5-28; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
A. 
The decision by the Enforcement Official may be appealed by a party aggrieved thereby to the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, pursuant to Chapter 536, RSMo.
B. 
In any appeal as provided by this Section, any person who owns or occupies property located within one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet of the perimeter of the building or structure which is the subject of the suit shall be allowed to present evidence to the court on behalf of the City of the condition of the building or structure, whether or not such person presented such evidence at the hearing provided by Subsection (B) of Section 505.100. The appellant before the court shall have the opportunity to cross-examine any such person presenting evidence to the court.
[R.O. 2010 §505.120; CC 1970 §5-29; Ord. No. 16-74 §2, 6-11-1974]
In cases where it reasonably appears that there is an immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of any person unless a dangerous building, as herein defined, is immediately repaired, vacated and repaired, or vacated and demolished, the Building Commissioner may cause the immediate repair, vacation or demolition of such dangerous building. The cost of such emergency repair, vacation or demolition of such dangerous building shall be collected in the same manner as provided in Section 505.100 for the collection of the costs of execution of post-hearing orders of the Building Commissioner.