19-5407. Vacant property registration ordinance; contents; program administrator; powers.

(1) A vacant property registration ordinance shall:

(a) Provide that a subsequent owner or owners of property subject to the ordinance will assume the obligations of the previous owner or owners;

(b) Provide for removal of the property from the vacant property registration data base when the property is no longer vacant;

(c) Require submission of an owner plan for occupancy of the property; and

(d) Provide that owners have the right to prior notice and to appeal adverse decisions of the municipality or the program administrator. Such notice shall be sent by certified mail to the registered owner at the address maintained in the register of deeds' office at least ten days prior to such adverse decision.

(2) A vacant property registration ordinance may allow the program administrator or his or her designee to inspect the interior and exterior of the vacant property upon registration and at one-year intervals thereafter for so long as the property remains on the vacant property registration data base. A vacant property registration ordinance may provide for municipal fines for failure to comply with its requirements. A municipality may enforce the collection of vacant property registration fees by civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Unpaid vacant property registration fees and unpaid fines for any violation of a vacant property registration ordinance shall become a lien on the applicable property upon the recording of a notice of such lien in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the applicable property is located. The lien created under this subsection shall be subordinate to all liens on the applicable property recorded prior to the time the notice of such lien under this subsection is recorded.

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