[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Clairton 11-26-1996 by Ord. No.
1621. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vacant Property Review and Economic Development Authority — See Ch. 125.
Brush, grass and weeds — See Ch. 159.
Building construction — See Ch. 163.
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 171.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 199.
Nuisances — See Ch. 247.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 274.
All structures and properties which are subject to proceedings
of the Clairton Vacant Property Review Committee shall be subject
to forcible inspection by the City Manager or the Community Development
Director of the City of Clairton, to be accompanied by City of Clairton
police officers, and any prospective vacant property program applicant
for the purposes of obtaining a rehabilitation work write-up and cost
estimates for said structures and properties, and to determine whether
there is any interest in the purchase of said structures and properties
by the prospective vacant property program applicant.
Prior to commencing such forcible inspection of said structures
or properties, the following procedure shall be implemented and followed
by officials of the City of Clairton:
A.
At least 15 days prior to the intended forcible inspection or entry
of said structure or property by City of Clairton officials, the owner
or occupant of said structure or property shall be notified, by both
first class mail and certified mail, return receipt requested, that
the City of Clairton intends to visit and inspect said structure and
property at a particular day and at a particular time for purposes
of obtaining a rehabilitation work write-up and cost estimates for
said structure under the vacant property review program and to have
the property inspected by any prospective vacant property program
applicant. Such notice shall be mailed to the last known address of
the owner or occupant, as listed on the real estate tax records of
the City of Clairton or any other more up-to-date or accurate address
listing maintained by the City of Clairton.
B.
At the same time that such notice of intended visit and inspection
is provided by mail to such owner or occupant of said structure or
property, the property shall be posted with the same notice of intended
visit and inspection. The posting shall be done by representatives
of the City of Clairton who, at the same time as posting, shall knock
or announce their presence to any occupant or owner of said structure
or property. If an occupant answers the knock, a duplicate copy of
the notice of posting shall be given to said occupant by the City
of Clairton official responsible for posting.
C.
Within a reasonable period of time of mailing of such notice, and
posting of such notice, the person mailing or posting such notice
shall file a certificate of mailing and/or posting with the office
of the City Manager and shall include with such certification the
date and time of said notice of mailing or posting.
A.
At the designated date and time of the intended inspection of the
subject structure or property, the City Manager or Community Development
Director, along with one or more representatives of the Clairton Police
Department, and any other persons the City Manager deems appropriate,
including, but not limited to, any prospective vacant property program
applicant or purchaser, shall knock on the main door of said structure
to announce their presence. If the knock is answered by any owner
or occupant of such structure, the City Manager shall obtain the permission
of any occupant for such inspection. If permission is refused, then
the City Manager shall not be permitted to enter said premises. If,
however, there is no response to the knock of the City Manager at
the door for the inspection, after the City manager waits a minimum
of two minutes, and makes at least three separate knocks on the door,
the main door of the subject premises, or any other door determined
more appropriate by the City Manager or Community Development Director,
shall be forcibly opened, if necessary, and the City Manager or Community
Development Director, along with other persons present, shall be permitted
to enter such structure.
B.
Upon entering such structure or property, the City Manager or Community
Development Director shall proceed to have the premises inspected
for purposes of complying with the requirements of the vacant property
review program, including, but not limited to, the obtaining of a
rehabilitation work write-up and cost estimates, and the inspection
of said premises by any prospective vacant property program applicant.
At the conclusion of the inspection, the City Manager or Community
Development Director shall make certain that all persons who entered
the premises remove themselves and that the premises are again secured
if there was any manner of forcible breaking and entering by the City
Manager or Community Development Director. The City Manager or Community
Development Director shall thereafter depart the premises and file
a written report of the date, time and results of the inspection with
the office of the City Manager. During such inspection, neither the
City Manager, nor any persons present or in his company, shall be
permitted to remove any items whatsoever from the subject structure
or property.
