[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Chatham 5-8-1980 by L.L. No. 1-1980. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Unsafe Building Demolition Law."
[Amended 1-9-2023 by L.L. No. 1-2023]
This Code Enforcement Officer of the Village of Chatham will be charged with the responsibility of carrying out the obligations and duties set forth in this chapter.
A. 
No person, firm, corporation or association who or which is the owner of a building in the Village of Chatham shall cause, suffer, allow or permit said building to become dangerous or unsafe to the public or to any person or property.
B. 
In the event that any building now is or hereafter becomes dangerous or unsafe to the public or to any person or property, from any cause whatsoever, the owner shall repair or remove said building.
C. 
In the event of the failure of the owner of any such building to repair or remove the same, the Building Inspector of the Village of Chatham shall make an inspection and report of the condition of said building to the Village Board.
D. 
Notice of the report shall thereafter be mailed to the owner or one of the owners of said building. The notice shall contain a description of the premises, a statement of the particulars in which the building or structure is unsafe and dangerous and an order requiring the building or structure to be made safe and secure or removed. Said notice shall also provide for the time within which the repair or removal of the building or structure shall be completed.
E. 
In the event of the neglect or refusal of the owner to comply with the provisions of the notice, the village may make an application at a Special Term of the Supreme Court for an order directing that the building or structure shall be repaired or removed or, in default thereof, for authorization for the village to remove or repair the same.
A. 
The owner of the building or structure shall be personally liable for all costs and expenses incurred by the village in connection with any and all of the above proceedings to repair, remove or secure, including the cost of actually removing said building or structure or repairing and securing the same.
B. 
If the owner shall fail to pay said costs and expenses within 10 days after being notified of the same by mail, the Village Clerk shall file, prior to the time for completing the annual village tax levy, a certificate of said cost and expense, with a statement as to the property upon which the same were incurred, with the Village Board, who shall in the preparation of the next annual village tax levy, levy said amounts upon such property, and the same shall be levied, collected and enforced in the same manner by the same proceedings, at the same time, with the same penalties and having the same lien upon the property assessed as the general village tax and as a part thereof.
In cases of emergency, where the above proceedings would result in delay and resulting injury to life or property, the Mayor of the village shall have the power to direct the Building Inspector to proceed at once to take such action as is needed to ensure the safety of affected persons and property.