On December 13, 2016, City Council approved the Vacant Building Registration Program (Article IV Section 11-191). The program is designed to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. Vacant buildings can be a source of blight, especially when the owner or party responsible for the building fails to actively maintain and manage the building to ensure it does not become a liability to the neighborhood. The City invests approximately $52,000 annually monitoring vacant and foreclosed properties. This ordinance shifts a portion of this cost from the taxpayer to the property owner.
The program applies to buildings which have been (i) vacant for a continuous period of twelve (12) months (ii) boarded up or secured in accordance with the building code for a continuous period of six (6) months, and (iii) not lawfully connected to electric, water and sewer service for a continuous period of six (6) months. The buildings must be registered with the Property Maintenance Official of the City of Lynchburg and all registration fees paid by July 1st of each year. Failure to comply with the requirements for registration shall be punishable by a civil penalty up to but not exceeding two hundred ($200.00) for each building that is not registered. Any person who fails register any vacant building that is located in conservation and rehabilitation districts or any building that has been designated as blighted pursuant to the provisions of the City Code shall be punished by a civil penalty not exceeding four hundred $400.00 for each building that is not registered.
City Code
Article IV
Vacant Building Registration Program
*Sec. 11-191. - Vacant building registration.
On or before July 1 of each year, the owner or managing agent, or a duly authorized representative acting on behalf of the owner or managing agent, shall register with the property maintenance official on forms developed by the inspections division, the address of any buildings they own or manage which have been vacant for a continuous period of twelve (12) months or more and which meet the definition of derelict building. For purposes of this section, derelict building shall mean a residential or nonresidential building or structure, whether or not construction has been completed, that might endanger the public's health, safety, or welfare and for a continuous period in excess of six (6) months, it has been (i) vacant, (ii) boarded up or secured in accordance with the building code, and (iii) not lawfully connected to electric service from a utility service provider or not lawfully connected to any required water or sewer service from a utility service provider. Every person filing registration forms with the property maintenance official shall pay an annual registration fee of $100.00 to defray the cost of processing the registration.
*Sec. 11-192. - Failure to register.
Any person who fails to register a vacant building by the July 1 deadline shall be subject to a $200.00 civil penalty. Any person who fails to register any vacant building that is located in conservation and rehabilitation districts or any building that has been designated as blighted pursuant to the provisions of Section 36-49.1:1 of the Code of Virginia shall be punished by a civil penalty not exceeding $400.00 for each building that is not registered.*
*Sec. 11-193. - Notice of assessment of penalty.
At least 30 days prior to the assessment of any civil penalty, the inspections division shall mail the owner, or managing agent, or the duly authorized representative acting on behalf of the owner or managing agent, at the address to which property tax notices are sent notice of the failure to comply with the registration requirements of this section.
