Transcript

Event transcript
Good evening, I will call to order the work session for the. 00:00:04
Draft community redevelopment tax incentive program for blighted. 00:00:07
Properties. 00:00:11
And we'll turn the. 00:00:12
My phone over to Miss Stein. Thank you. 00:00:14
Good evening Mayor and council members of the public. 00:00:17
Thank you for joining us. Thank you to my teammates who are also here this evening who were. 00:00:20
Instrumental in getting you this draft. 00:00:25
And I want to thank the Assistant Development Director, Mr. Page McMahon. He did the heavy lifting. 00:00:29
To get this put together for you. 00:00:35
So this is a follow up. 00:00:37
To show you that we are continuing to. 00:00:40
To push this forward. 00:00:43
This what we have before you right now is some draft text. 00:00:45
What I would really like to go over this evening are. 00:00:50
I think three major elements. 00:00:54
1 is. 00:00:56
The definition. 00:00:57
Of what would be considered blighted property. 00:00:58
And there are several definitions here, and I'll go through those. 00:01:01
The second would be. 00:01:06
The procedure. 00:01:09
For declaring something. 00:01:11
Light it, there's some procedure in here. 00:01:12
The third would be. 00:01:16
The amount? 00:01:18
Of ad valorem tax. 00:01:20
That we would levy. 00:01:22
And the fourth. 00:01:24
Would be this idea of. 00:01:25
The rehabilitation. 00:01:27
And how we address that. So again. 00:01:29
This is just draft. 00:01:31
The the basic elements are here for us to review. 00:01:33
And discuss. 00:01:38
I think next steps with this if you would like to proceed. 00:01:39
Are to work with. 00:01:43
Our legal counsel. 00:01:46
To amend our existing nuisance abatement code. 00:01:48
To include this language. 00:01:52
And then also get with our finance team. 00:01:54
To figure out how to actually do this. 00:01:57
OK, so today I just want to briefly go over, you know, what is the purpose of this so I can repeat that I believe you all have. 00:01:59
A printed copies and I'll try to. 00:02:07
Continue to. 00:02:11
To move the the crowd here along and for those of you that might be watching online. 00:02:13
I believe this is in the in the Council package. 00:02:18
OK, so the purpose of this really is a program that is intended to promote? 00:02:22
The development and revitalization of areas which contribute to. 00:02:27
Or foster conditions detrimental. 00:02:31
To public health safety. 00:02:34
And safety so. 00:02:35
Let's talk about. 00:02:38
Definitions. 00:02:39
Now. 00:02:40
This draft language. 00:02:41
Was pulled from the cities of Auburn, Perry and Albany, GA. 00:02:43
So at our last discussion. 00:02:48
We agreed that, you know. 00:02:51
Why reinvent the wheel? 00:02:52
Go find. 00:02:54
Some ordinances that are in place. 00:02:56
And work with that. 00:02:58
So the way that this is set up right now and and this could all be subject to change but the. 00:03:00
The the general approach and all of these ordinances is that you give. 00:03:06
A bit of a menu. 00:03:11
Of things that you would say. 00:03:12
That we as a body, as a city. 00:03:15
Would make something a blighted property. 00:03:17
OK. So what we've proposed here. 00:03:20
Is that blighted property means any real property on which there is a structure? 00:03:23
So we're not talking about vacant land. 00:03:28
There is a structure. 00:03:30
Or witches. 00:03:32
Vacant and unimproved, and which presents two or more of the following conditions. 00:03:33
So then we proceed to list out. 00:03:38
I think it's upwards of 12 or 14. 00:03:42
Potential definitions. 00:03:46
15. 00:03:48
So the idea here is that. 00:03:49
A property has to. 00:03:51
Make two of these. 00:03:52
Right in order for us. 00:03:54
To say that it is blighted. 00:03:56
So. 00:03:57
Let's go through a few of them. 00:03:59
It's a menace to public health or safety. Now as we go through these I. 00:04:01
I want you to just think a little bit about. 00:04:05
The way that we would determine that definition, I think this is an important part of the procedure. 00:04:10
For us to keep in mind. 00:04:16
What is highlighted, and I apologize you can't really see it on the screen here, but those of you who are looking at a printed 00:04:19
copy. 00:04:22
Some of these definitions are in blue and some of them are in black. 00:04:27
We originally decided to go with the black definitions, but we just kept. 00:04:31
We kept adding to the list so. 00:04:35
Another effort here in a future iteration. 00:04:37
Might be to call down this list of definitions. 00:04:39
But for those of you who are listening, for those of you who are unable to read this, I'll, I'll read a few. 00:04:44
The structure is unfit, unfit for human habitation or unfit for commercial, industrial or business use. 00:04:49
And not in compliance with the applicable codes. 00:04:56
The property has been the subject of repeated code violations. 00:04:59
And the property owner has failed to take reasonable measures to correct the violations. 00:05:03
The structure is dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe for vermin, infested. 00:05:08
And not in compliance with applicable codes. 00:05:13
It is a fire hazard. 00:05:15
It has been vacant or abandoned for a period in excess of one year. 00:05:17
So how would we determine that? We could determine that by looking at. 00:05:21
A utility bill. 00:05:27
Something like that. 00:05:28
Right. 00:05:29
Inadequate provisions for ventilation, light or. 00:05:30
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry has contributed to the decline of the surrounding area due to neglect. 00:05:33
Or lack of maintenance. 00:05:38
So is there a way to? 00:05:40
Quantify that. 00:05:41
That's a good question. I mean, I think that. 00:05:45
There are reports if I could go back to our time. 00:05:49
When we did the work session. 00:05:52
And we discussed some of the literature that Councilmember Nashumento shared with us. 00:05:54
Specifically in Brunswick and in Savannah. 00:05:59
There were calculations that adjacent properties which are blighted or ill maintained. 00:06:03
Can have a negative value on surrounding properties and also be a cost. I think it was to the tune of. 00:06:09
$1200 a year to the city. 00:06:16
Due to our code compliance department. 00:06:19
Stepping in as property manager. 00:06:23
Right, I like it. I just want to make sure that. 00:06:26
We could back it up. 00:06:29
Right, and in using it as a. 00:06:31
You know as as one of the two reasons. 00:06:36
And that may be something that, you know, one of these that maybe comes away because. 00:06:38
We have difficulty quantifying it. 00:06:42
I've worked quite a bit with our legal team in the past two years and I find that they're really great at sort of pressing right 00:06:46
on that. 00:06:49
Idea so. 00:06:54
So I have no doubt that when they. 00:06:55
Kind of go through this with us. We'll see. 00:06:58
A little bit. 00:07:02
More information. 00:07:03
You know the presence of trash. 00:07:06
And rubbish we don't. We don't have a lot of graffiti in the city. 00:07:08
But the the presence of trash and rubbish you know the city has. 00:07:12
But sorry, I've moved on. 00:07:16
The city has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code, oftentimes when the code compliance department is writing. 00:07:21
Notices of violation for properties. 00:07:28
We will. 00:07:31
Pull on our own litter. 00:07:33
Ordinance and we'll also pull on the International Property Maintenance Code. 00:07:36
To, you know, put something behind whatever the complaint is, so. 00:07:41
The department is. 00:07:46
Pretty well versed at. 00:07:47
You know, finding whatever the violation is. 00:07:49
And uh. 00:07:52
The applicable code and then communicating that. 00:07:53
To the property owner. 00:07:56
Repeated illegal activity on the property. The maintenance of the property is below state code or municipal. 00:07:59
State, county or municipal codes. 00:08:05
For at least one year. 00:08:08
Is conducted to ill health, transmission of disease. 00:08:10
Infant mortality, I mean, so these. 00:08:14
These kind of run the gamut of. 00:08:16
Offenses, if you will. 00:08:18
Any questions on these? 00:08:21
Other than just. 00:08:22
Making sure that whatever we. 00:08:23
Put can be. 00:08:26
Quantified. 00:08:28
Just to use one of these as an example. 00:08:31
Like has been vacant or abandoned for a period in excess of one year and use the example of utilities. So I mean we should. 00:08:34
Outline. That is the bar. 00:08:41
We could. We could the definition. 00:08:43
I think I mean, so one of the things that we do in a. 00:08:47
You know in in regular code compliance. 00:08:51
Protocol is if we do receive a complaint. 00:08:54
We'll check into these types of things, You know, is it vacant? How can you determine it's vacant other than? 00:08:57
Going to the property and trying to. 00:09:03
You know, get in and see. 00:09:06
You can typically look at Utility account. 00:09:08
And say there's been no water service here for. 00:09:10
Two years. 00:09:13
So we could we could add that to the language. 00:09:14
Definitely doable. 00:09:19
Any other questions on those definitions? 00:09:25
OK, then. Then we proceed to just go through some of the legal jargon here about, you know, what is a governing authority, what 00:09:28
does a municipality. 00:09:33
These are things that I. 00:09:38
Don't think are. 00:09:39
Things that need to be. 00:09:42
Discussed per se. 00:09:44
All right, so let's get into the procedure for identifying something as a blighted property. 00:09:46
So. 00:09:51
This would. 00:09:52
Currently reside as it's written with the city manager or his designee. 00:09:53
A lot of in our ordinance of. 00:09:59
Quite a few times this this happens, it will say the city manager. 00:10:01
Or their designee that oftentimes falls to either myself. 00:10:05
Or Chief Lackner. 00:10:08
And then? 00:10:11
What will happen is that we'll prepare a written report identifying that real property. 00:10:12
That report will include a legal description of the property. 00:10:17
Photographic documentation if possible. 00:10:20
And a summary of the code violations. Police reports, fire department calls. 00:10:23
Or other relevant histories, so this report. 00:10:27
Is where you package everything. 00:10:30
That we discussed in the definitions right so we've. 00:10:32
Identified this property because of XY and Z reasons. 00:10:36
It meets our definition of flight for this. 00:10:40
And here's the evidence of that. 00:10:43
The property owner will be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before. 00:10:46
Mayor and council, so you would be the ultimate deciding body on this and that would be in the form of a public hearing. 00:10:51
So there would be a notice and they would have an opportunity. 00:10:59
To come before you as a body. 00:11:02
Upon finding that the property is maintained in a blightened condition as the. 00:11:05
Find herein the Mayor and City Council shall adopt A resolution declaring the property as officially maintained in a blighted 00:11:08
condition. 00:11:12
And shall authorize increased Avalon taxation as specified herein. 00:11:16
Any questions on the process there? 00:11:21
There are other municipalities that just. 00:11:24
Issue the tax. 00:11:26
Right when we were talking to the to Brunswick. 00:11:27
Determine it to be blighted and they issued the tax. 00:11:30
We we leaned on the side of offering the property owner the chance to come in. 00:11:33
To be heard. 00:11:38
Any opportunity to correct the situation? 00:11:39
Not at the present. 00:11:43
The other OK. 00:11:44
Yeah, it's a good question, I mean. 00:11:47
Just so everyone understands if we. 00:11:49
If we in the in the department receive a complaint, that complaint will be reviewed by our code compliance officers. They will go 00:11:52
and do an investigation, try to. 00:11:58
Figure out and see for themselves. They may follow up with the complainant. Typically what we do, always what we do is we follow 00:12:03
sort of a three-step. 00:12:08
Process which would be. 00:12:13
We speak with the individual. 00:12:15
If we can't get anywhere in speaking with the property owner or the tenants, then we will. 00:12:17
Write an official notice of violation. That's something that comes from my office. It will have a corrective order on it. It will 00:12:23
have a time frame in which. 00:12:27
The owner of the property can reply. 00:12:32
And then if we can't get there, then we move to. 00:12:36
A citation or assignments to appear in Municipal Court. 00:12:41
This is a. 00:12:44
This is a. 00:12:46
Process. 00:12:47
Right. So it's a good discussion for us to have. 00:12:49
You know, let let's try to use a scenario. 00:12:54
A property which may be in non compliance of. 00:12:58
The International property maintenance code. 00:13:03
But has someone? 00:13:06
Living in IT or has a business. 00:13:08
Operating in it, right, because we need to be clear here we're talking about. 00:13:10
We're not distinguishing in this. 00:13:13
Between residential and commercial, we're talking about structures, so, but let's use a scenario where we have. 00:13:16
A dwelling. 00:13:22
And that dwelling is occupied. 00:13:23
And that dwelling is not in compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code. 00:13:25
The the path that we would proceed. 00:13:30
Would be speaking. 00:13:32
Writing and then citing to appear in Municipal Court. 00:13:34
That's not something that I think we would apply. 00:13:37
To a structure that's been vacant for 10 plus years. 00:13:40
Right. Those structures, to be honest, it's difficult to find the owner. 00:13:44
They're oftentimes LLC's. 00:13:48
They have registered agents, you know, up in Atlanta. 00:13:50
And their home base is somewhere in California. 00:13:54
So there's two different, you know, they're, they're very, they're, they're kind of vastly different. 00:13:57
Approaches and I think that this. 00:14:03
Redevelopment tax approach is really meant to be for. 00:14:05
Vacant, you know. 00:14:11
Not present or absent. 00:14:15
Property owners. 00:14:17
So would it be uh. 00:14:19
Duplicitous in some way? I don't think so based on what you just said to. 00:14:21
Make one of the basic requirements for blight. 00:14:26
Be that they have been previously contacted. 00:14:30
Are notified by. 00:14:34
The department that. 00:14:35
Their property is blighted. You know, like, say, to allow. 00:14:37
Some period of time, 30 days or some activity to occur. 00:14:41
To give him an opportunity to make amends before. 00:14:47
We drag the Council on the, you know, everyone into this process. 00:14:50
That, at the very least, there was some. 00:14:55
I mean, it's one of the. 00:14:57
Potential 12 or 15 items. 00:14:58
That could be, you know, that they had been cited previously. 00:15:01
But it's not a necessity necessarily. 00:15:05
But what I'm saying is. 00:15:08
I think it perhaps should be a necessity that they have. 00:15:10
At least been notified and cited. 00:15:13
That their property is considered blighted and given an opportunity to make some corrective actions. 00:15:16
Over, you know. 00:15:21
Short period, not a year or months, but they're going to take some action within 3045 days. 00:15:22
Before it. 00:15:29
Becomes a hearing in front of the Council. 00:15:30
Sure. And I think #3. 00:15:33
Is probably in the definitions. Is. 00:15:37
Is where I would. 00:15:40
Camp that has been the subject of repeated code violations and the property owner has failed to take reasonable measures. What I'm 00:15:41
saying is that I wish to take that and make that as. 00:15:46
A requirement. 00:15:50
This has happened and. 00:15:53
At least one of the following. 00:15:55
Other things, you know, if that's kind of like the key. 00:15:57
Notification component #3. 00:16:00
You know that we're aware of this and it's been an issue for a while, you know, and we've cited them. 00:16:04
So that this has happened and in any one of the other things below. 00:16:10
Makes it. 00:16:14
Now elevated to the point where you're you're going to a hearing and. 00:16:15
Yeah, we're looking at. 00:16:19
You know, increasing your property tax. 00:16:21
Sure. 00:16:22
I have two followers about that. Well, I wonder if that would give us. 00:16:24
Better legal standing. 00:16:29
In assessing the tax, if we've at least given a 30 day. 00:16:32
Period. 00:16:36
To correct. 00:16:37
And I think that that's for me, that's a that's a discussion about what is that rehabilitation, You know, how do we as. 00:16:39
A municipality, say. 00:16:46
The rehabilitation is that you get a tenant in that commercial property and it becomes vibrant. 00:16:48
That's not something that we can do through our codes. 00:16:53
Well, but I mean if that property is just vacant. 00:16:56
Just being maintained meticulously. 00:16:59
That's only one. 00:17:01
Function there and there's nothing else to. 00:17:03
Cite them about just because it's vacant. 00:17:06
You know, so they would not necessarily be blighted. 00:17:09
Under that one condition of being vacant, if it's being maintained like somebody'd there. 00:17:12
You know, so I think that. 00:17:18
Kind of is where I'm coming from is that. 00:17:19
Everybody would like to have a tenant, and maybe that doesn't always happen in a perfect world, but you're taking care of your 00:17:24
business, you're taking care of your building, and you're not, you know, bringing everybody else down. 00:17:29
You know that is what it is. 00:17:35
Once it turns and we've cited them. 00:17:37
For any of these number of things you know then. 00:17:40
Yeah. 00:17:44
I would, I think. 00:17:46
We oops, sorry everybody. 00:17:49
Deborah. 00:17:56
Thank you, it'll come back shortly. 00:17:58
Let's see. 00:18:02
I don't know what just happened. 00:18:05
OK, so. 00:18:08
We in the in the code compliance department are going to figure out some things in in a very short order so. 00:18:11
The last time that we spoke about this, I had mentioned. 00:18:19
How we have some persistently challenging properties in the city. 00:18:23
In which for several years our code. 00:18:28
Department has been reminding property owners of. 00:18:31
Their lack of attention to. 00:18:35
Grass and weeds or litter or. 00:18:39
Mobile vendors that are operating on their property without. 00:18:43
Permits or. 00:18:47
You know, all types of things in which we become the eyes. 00:18:48
For a property owner that. 00:18:52
Is never here. 00:18:54
And we have taken the steps to bring. 00:18:56
Some of those properties. 00:18:59
To Municipal Court. 00:19:01
And so the citation. 00:19:02
The code that we've used. 00:19:05
Is usually around litter. 00:19:07
Or grass and weeds. 00:19:10
And what we find ourselves in right now? 00:19:11
Is the property owner will claim. 00:19:15
Will will plead not guilty. 00:19:17
Because they've mowed the grass. 00:19:20
The issue at hand is that we've been asking you to mow your grass. 00:19:22
Every year. 00:19:26
For three years. 00:19:27
Every month during the growing season. So it's that. 00:19:28
Absence of property maintenance that we're trying to. 00:19:31
Decouple here. So I think we'll learn a lot in that. 00:19:35
Legal activity and that can inform, I think that you know. 00:19:37
You said it exactly there. Number 3 has been the subject of repeated code violations, not. 00:19:40
You know. 00:19:46
You know that that meets number one for me based on what you're saying there and that in that scenario. 00:19:47
And if we link anything else to that, the property is vacant. 00:19:52
You know then that that's the second thing. 00:19:56
Maybe that links it and puts them here, but they have at least. 00:19:59
Been notified. 00:20:03
Multiple times, right? 00:20:04
You know and and to understand that that one works, you know. 00:20:06
In that understanding, and so as we get into this, we might find out that it. 00:20:09
Something else comes up that we're not thinking of, but. 00:20:13
You know, as as Councilwoman King was saying, I agree that. 00:20:16
You know that. 00:20:20
Having some opportunity. 00:20:21
Or at least being aware before. 00:20:23
And most likely that's going to be the case, but. 00:20:26
You know, just make sure that. 00:20:29
That's the process we're following, I think is. 00:20:31
If we're going to adopt language, which I think is a good idea to get somebody. 00:20:36
You know, like a 30 day notice. 00:20:39
Should we also consider some language? 00:20:42
If it is an absent owner where we've tried, like how long do we try to get ahold of them if they're certified, letters sent or 00:20:44
whatever the case may be for contact? 00:20:48
And then? 00:20:52
There has to be a follow up period somewhere where we've been. 00:20:53
Asking you for a year now to. 00:20:56
Keep up with your property unresponsive. 00:20:58
Sour. At this point, we're trying to give you 30 day notice. So does it just end after the 30 days that we're just gonna go ahead 00:21:00
and apply the tax if they're unresponsive for that period of time? 00:21:04
Yeah, I mean, so I think the letter could. 00:21:09
Read something like. 00:21:11
You know, you know. 00:21:13
It could be a preemptive to the report that's in this procedure where we issue that. 00:21:14
Notice. 00:21:20
And then we offer them 30 days. 00:21:21
And if they do not respond within 30 days, then we schedule the hearing. 00:21:24
To come before Council. 00:21:29
Well, you know what? What other thing? The negative effect that is happening on properties around theirs. 00:21:30
Is humongous. 00:21:35
I see it with with all kind of properties. 00:21:38
In our area. 00:21:42
OK. Thank you. Just just taking some notes here. 00:21:43
All right. 00:21:52
I think we have a little bit of time to now move on to. 00:21:54
The increased ad valorem tax, so when we had discussed this at the last session. 00:22:00
There really isn't a limit. 00:22:06
As to how much more you can charge. 00:22:08
We're proposing here 7 times. 00:22:11
So I think in the past we had discussed. 00:22:14
As low as 5 cities go as low as 3 or they go as high as 10? 00:22:17
Any thoughts on this? 00:22:22
I think we should go as high as we can go. Yeah, I was gonna say we need to make it. 00:22:24
Yeah, OK. 00:22:29
What is Brunswick doing 7 times or 10 times? It's somewhere up there. 00:22:31
Yeah, it's somewhere up there, but I can't remember right now. 00:22:36
You don't notice. 00:22:40
Yeah. 00:22:43
Another another really interesting. 00:22:45
Scenario here that I just want to. 00:22:47
Bring to our attention that we'll need to discuss them. 00:22:49
And come up with some way to. 00:22:53
Assess this. 00:22:56
Or to actually do this and and monitor this. 00:22:58
Revenues arising from the increased rate of ad valorem taxation. 00:23:01
Shall be segregated by the city and used only for community redevelopment purposes, including but not limited to. 00:23:05
Affordable housing, code enforcement, infrastructure improvements, redevelopment grants and loans. 00:23:13
Public safety enhancements. 00:23:19
I think it's good. 00:23:21
OK. 00:23:23
This one I think you know. 00:23:26
The. 00:23:29
So once you've determined a property to be blighted. 00:23:31
We and it's not. 00:23:35
Quite in here yet, but I think it would be very wise. 00:23:37
To craft an agreement. 00:23:41
In which the. 00:23:44
The terms of. 00:23:46
How the property can be? 00:23:47
Redeveloped or become rehabilitated and therefore. 00:23:50
Taken off. 00:23:54
The increased ad valorem taxation list. 00:23:56
That we need to flesh that out a little bit more here so that. 00:23:59
There would. We would. 00:24:03
Both parties would be as prepared as possible. 00:24:06
When someone a property owner feels that they have rehabilitated their property, they need to be assured that their investments. 00:24:11
You know, after they do them. 00:24:19
Will be met. 00:24:21
With uh. 00:24:22
Having the property come off the list and I think. 00:24:23
Right now we've got the concept of that in this language. 00:24:26
But we don't have a very solid. 00:24:29
A way to get there, and I think that will be instrumental. 00:24:32
That a property owner can see for themselves. 00:24:35
What it's going to take. 00:24:38
To bring that property off of this. 00:24:40
Taxation list and. 00:24:43
And you know another question I have is. 00:24:44
I don't know what happens after that. 00:24:47
You know what if they. 00:24:49
Don't pay the. 00:24:51
The text What if they say there's there's no way I'm going to be able to rehabilitate? 00:24:52
These are all things that I think are the. 00:24:56
The second iteration. 00:24:58
Of this draft and. 00:25:00
You know, we'll keep working on that with legal counsel. 00:25:01
And bring something back before you. 00:25:05
Well, and for the cost? 00:25:07
Of blighting a property. 00:25:09
Do we have them pay at least the? 00:25:13
First year. 00:25:17
He's 7 or 10 times. 00:25:18
The assessment. 00:25:20
That gets paid to contribute to these. 00:25:22
Yeah. I mean, I believe that's what Dee says, that it shall be lifted in the year following the determination. So they would have. 00:25:25
Once like saying once they've been notified and they let it go to the hearing and then they. 00:25:33
Were found to be blighted. 00:25:37
They're paying, they're paying their tax at that point, whether they clean it up the next day or not. 00:25:39
Because they let it get to that point. 00:25:44
Knew it was coming. 00:25:46
They were notified. 00:25:47
They had some time to react before they showed up here. 00:25:49
You know, if they show up here after 30 days and they can demonstrate that they're doing AB and C already and they've got. 00:25:52
D&F, you know, work. 00:25:58
You know in process, you know. 00:26:00
Then maybe we as a council say, OK, you know, we're going to give you another 30 days. 00:26:02
Or something you know before. 00:26:07
Doing this tax because you are. 00:26:09
You started working on it before the hearing. 00:26:10
You got some more to do. And, you know, I mean, that's a determination we can make. 00:26:13
At that time, but if. 00:26:17
They don't do anything and they show up here. 00:26:19
They're going to, they should pay the tax even if they go the next day and start cleaning or whatever, you know? 00:26:22
I feel like they ought to pay the tax. 00:26:28
Even if they start cleaning once they're notified. 00:26:30
Once it becomes blighted because we have. 00:26:33
Expended all this effort. 00:26:36
But won't be technically blighted until we vote on it at the hearing though. 00:26:38
So is what I'm saying, So you're saying they come to the hearing with? 00:26:42
Having done all those things but still were convening with. 00:26:45
Been through, I agree. 00:26:50
Processes. It's, I mean it's a discussion we need to have. 00:26:52
But right. And do we articulate what we expect? 00:26:56
Right. And I'm very interested also in actually legally what can we do when that is ignored, when that property tax? 00:27:00
I mean, I think you know at what point. 00:27:07
How long do we have to go before? 00:27:11
We can take action on that private property, you know, and are we able to even take action sometimes finish up the scope of what 00:27:14
the problem is, but. 00:27:18
They would become unpaid property taxes, correct for somebody. 00:27:23
I mean, the encouragement here is to try to get a vacant. 00:27:27
Dilapidated building, either fixed up by the existing order if they're unwilling to to encourage them to sell the property to 00:27:30
somebody that will fix it up. 00:27:33
Right. And I think one of the. 00:27:38
One of the things that we've also been thinking about in tandem. 00:27:40
With this. 00:27:43
Is you know as the. 00:27:44
Carl Vinson Institute and UGA. 00:27:47
Start on the. 00:27:49
Planning for the revitalization of Midtown. 00:27:51
Some other tools. This is this is a tool in the toolbox, right? So. 00:27:54
So. 00:27:58
There's this idea of this. 00:27:59
Redevelopment tax incentive, but maybe we can. 00:28:02
Think about. 00:28:05
And overlay in the zoning, which is very. 00:28:06
You know, permissible. Lots of activities, lots of things to do, lots of flexibility that can be done. 00:28:10
As of right. 00:28:15
Maybe we work with the JDA? 00:28:17
And with Main Street to ensure that there are. 00:28:19
Grants that would enable redevelopment. So anyway that we can. 00:28:22
Incentivize and this would be again. 00:28:26
Just a part of the package of incentives. 00:28:29
To steer redevelopment to Midtown. 00:28:32
I think if if I'm not mistaken, you. 00:28:34
You know this is the stick. 00:28:36
That we're talking about is there a carrot? You know, is there something there is a carrot. So yeah, and and I think, you know, 00:28:38
the carrot can be the zoning, the carrot can be. 00:28:43
Other grants, I mean, I, I think what we'd run into a little. 00:28:49
A little trickiness there if if. 00:28:52
We're ready to determine a property blighted and we're also going to give it a grant so but. 00:28:54
All all good things to have to. 00:28:58
Work through. 00:29:01
All right. With that, I think what we'll do is staff and I will. 00:29:03
Work this over a little bit. 00:29:08
And get with legal counsel. 00:29:11
And then maybe next quarter. 00:29:13
Some time if that timing feels good, we want to see we got just a couple minutes for any public comment. 00:29:16
Anybody like to make any comments about this? Please come to the podium. Give us your name and address. 00:29:23
Two or two push the button. 00:29:38
The lights on the head it's got. 00:29:42
On the bottom. OK, Thank you. 00:29:45
Judy Turner, 202 W Bryant St. 00:29:48
In regards to what you were saying. 00:29:51
Is this OK? 00:29:55
OK, don't be too easy. 00:29:57
I know from. 00:30:01
Living here. 00:30:03
Somebody was notified by. 00:30:05
Code compliance Who works? 00:30:07
Very hard. 00:30:09
This person. 00:30:11
Had been notified. 00:30:13
Prior code compliance officers. 00:30:14
They come in. 00:30:17
They cut their grass. What little bit was available to cut? 00:30:18
Nothing else done. 00:30:24
Grass goes right back up. 00:30:26
The litter. 00:30:28
It's grown right, but. 00:30:29
That one time cutting the grass, they. 00:30:31
OK. 00:30:33
I think you gotta be aware of that. 00:30:35
Don't. Don't be easy. 00:30:37
Thank you. I think that, like I said, that goes back to that repeated violation. Yeah. 00:30:41
Yeah. 00:30:45
Larry White, 102 Sybase Court. 00:30:53
I can tell you from personal experience of a property that I know of. 00:30:56
That he has as one neighbor. 00:30:59
Come over and cut his front lawn. He hasn't lived in that house. 00:31:01
For over 4 years. 00:31:04
I think he still owns a house. 00:31:06
So as one neighbor gracefully comes over. 00:31:08
That's most of his front lawn. 00:31:10
But I I once thought it was a drug. I used to do that. 00:31:12
Then I stopped. 00:31:15
Now my property. 00:31:17
Cut the grass there. 00:31:19
But that we that the. 00:31:20
Granted, about that tall. 00:31:22
But that one. 00:31:24
When one neighbor refuses to mow it. 00:31:25
Now if you look in his backyard. 00:31:27
I don't know. 00:31:29
Bladed should reply. 00:31:30
Applying the backyards also. 00:31:32
He has an entire backyard. 00:31:35
Is full of weeds. 00:31:37
At least six to seven feet tall. 00:31:39
And there's been snakes coming out. 00:31:41
I'm in the backyard into the property. 00:31:43
That I owned. 00:31:45
Now you need to look into. 00:31:46
Blighted not only means structures. 00:31:48
But it means a condition. 00:31:50
Of the property. 00:31:51
IE the yard. 00:31:53
I forgot to mention the. 00:31:55
Ken Jelly 102 Salt grass trace in Saint Mary's. 00:32:06
I want to. 00:32:10
All right, better. 00:32:20
I want to applaud the the City Council and and also our. 00:32:24
Community Development Director. 00:32:28
This is not an easy task whatsoever. 00:32:30
Anybody that's listening thinks this is easy put pen. 00:32:33
The paper and then somebody signs it and it's all going to happen. Well, we all know it's not. 00:32:36
I I was particularly impressed with Councilman Keen's position with. 00:32:43
Let's give them the full stroke of the pump. 00:32:48
And and I agree. 00:32:50
This type of. 00:32:52
Enforcement comes only after significant violation. 00:32:55
And uh. 00:33:00
Demonstration on the part of the owner. 00:33:01
That they are not willing. 00:33:04
To do anything. 00:33:05
To participate and they are going to continue to ignore the city leadership. 00:33:07
So that in and of itself would in my opinion. 00:33:11
Mandate. 00:33:15
That they get. 00:33:16
As severe a fine as possible. 00:33:17
For as long as possible. 00:33:20
And give them. 00:33:23
Really. 00:33:24
No, no benefit of the. 00:33:25
You know, but again, thank you all very much. I know it's tough. Thank you. 00:33:27
Thank you. 00:33:32
Anyone else? 00:33:36
OK, we will adjourn this work session. 00:33:39
Be back at 6:00 for our City Council meeting. 00:33:42
Express. 00:33:46
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Transcript

Event transcript
Good evening, I will call to order the work session for the. 00:00:04
Draft community redevelopment tax incentive program for blighted. 00:00:07
Properties. 00:00:11
And we'll turn the. 00:00:12
My phone over to Miss Stein. Thank you. 00:00:14
Good evening Mayor and council members of the public. 00:00:17
Thank you for joining us. Thank you to my teammates who are also here this evening who were. 00:00:20
Instrumental in getting you this draft. 00:00:25
And I want to thank the Assistant Development Director, Mr. Page McMahon. He did the heavy lifting. 00:00:29
To get this put together for you. 00:00:35
So this is a follow up. 00:00:37
To show you that we are continuing to. 00:00:40
To push this forward. 00:00:43
This what we have before you right now is some draft text. 00:00:45
What I would really like to go over this evening are. 00:00:50
I think three major elements. 00:00:54
1 is. 00:00:56
The definition. 00:00:57
Of what would be considered blighted property. 00:00:58
And there are several definitions here, and I'll go through those. 00:01:01
The second would be. 00:01:06
The procedure. 00:01:09
For declaring something. 00:01:11
Light it, there's some procedure in here. 00:01:12
The third would be. 00:01:16
The amount? 00:01:18
Of ad valorem tax. 00:01:20
That we would levy. 00:01:22
And the fourth. 00:01:24
Would be this idea of. 00:01:25
The rehabilitation. 00:01:27
And how we address that. So again. 00:01:29
This is just draft. 00:01:31
The the basic elements are here for us to review. 00:01:33
And discuss. 00:01:38
I think next steps with this if you would like to proceed. 00:01:39
Are to work with. 00:01:43
Our legal counsel. 00:01:46
To amend our existing nuisance abatement code. 00:01:48
To include this language. 00:01:52
And then also get with our finance team. 00:01:54
To figure out how to actually do this. 00:01:57
OK, so today I just want to briefly go over, you know, what is the purpose of this so I can repeat that I believe you all have. 00:01:59
A printed copies and I'll try to. 00:02:07
Continue to. 00:02:11
To move the the crowd here along and for those of you that might be watching online. 00:02:13
I believe this is in the in the Council package. 00:02:18
OK, so the purpose of this really is a program that is intended to promote? 00:02:22
The development and revitalization of areas which contribute to. 00:02:27
Or foster conditions detrimental. 00:02:31
To public health safety. 00:02:34
And safety so. 00:02:35
Let's talk about. 00:02:38
Definitions. 00:02:39
Now. 00:02:40
This draft language. 00:02:41
Was pulled from the cities of Auburn, Perry and Albany, GA. 00:02:43
So at our last discussion. 00:02:48
We agreed that, you know. 00:02:51
Why reinvent the wheel? 00:02:52
Go find. 00:02:54
Some ordinances that are in place. 00:02:56
And work with that. 00:02:58
So the way that this is set up right now and and this could all be subject to change but the. 00:03:00
The the general approach and all of these ordinances is that you give. 00:03:06
A bit of a menu. 00:03:11
Of things that you would say. 00:03:12
That we as a body, as a city. 00:03:15
Would make something a blighted property. 00:03:17
OK. So what we've proposed here. 00:03:20
Is that blighted property means any real property on which there is a structure? 00:03:23
So we're not talking about vacant land. 00:03:28
There is a structure. 00:03:30
Or witches. 00:03:32
Vacant and unimproved, and which presents two or more of the following conditions. 00:03:33
So then we proceed to list out. 00:03:38
I think it's upwards of 12 or 14. 00:03:42
Potential definitions. 00:03:46
15. 00:03:48
So the idea here is that. 00:03:49
A property has to. 00:03:51
Make two of these. 00:03:52
Right in order for us. 00:03:54
To say that it is blighted. 00:03:56
So. 00:03:57
Let's go through a few of them. 00:03:59
It's a menace to public health or safety. Now as we go through these I. 00:04:01
I want you to just think a little bit about. 00:04:05
The way that we would determine that definition, I think this is an important part of the procedure. 00:04:10
For us to keep in mind. 00:04:16
What is highlighted, and I apologize you can't really see it on the screen here, but those of you who are looking at a printed 00:04:19
copy. 00:04:22
Some of these definitions are in blue and some of them are in black. 00:04:27
We originally decided to go with the black definitions, but we just kept. 00:04:31
We kept adding to the list so. 00:04:35
Another effort here in a future iteration. 00:04:37
Might be to call down this list of definitions. 00:04:39
But for those of you who are listening, for those of you who are unable to read this, I'll, I'll read a few. 00:04:44
The structure is unfit, unfit for human habitation or unfit for commercial, industrial or business use. 00:04:49
And not in compliance with the applicable codes. 00:04:56
The property has been the subject of repeated code violations. 00:04:59
And the property owner has failed to take reasonable measures to correct the violations. 00:05:03
The structure is dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe for vermin, infested. 00:05:08
And not in compliance with applicable codes. 00:05:13
It is a fire hazard. 00:05:15
It has been vacant or abandoned for a period in excess of one year. 00:05:17
So how would we determine that? We could determine that by looking at. 00:05:21
A utility bill. 00:05:27
Something like that. 00:05:28
Right. 00:05:29
Inadequate provisions for ventilation, light or. 00:05:30
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry has contributed to the decline of the surrounding area due to neglect. 00:05:33
Or lack of maintenance. 00:05:38
So is there a way to? 00:05:40
Quantify that. 00:05:41
That's a good question. I mean, I think that. 00:05:45
There are reports if I could go back to our time. 00:05:49
When we did the work session. 00:05:52
And we discussed some of the literature that Councilmember Nashumento shared with us. 00:05:54
Specifically in Brunswick and in Savannah. 00:05:59
There were calculations that adjacent properties which are blighted or ill maintained. 00:06:03
Can have a negative value on surrounding properties and also be a cost. I think it was to the tune of. 00:06:09
$1200 a year to the city. 00:06:16
Due to our code compliance department. 00:06:19
Stepping in as property manager. 00:06:23
Right, I like it. I just want to make sure that. 00:06:26
We could back it up. 00:06:29
Right, and in using it as a. 00:06:31
You know as as one of the two reasons. 00:06:36
And that may be something that, you know, one of these that maybe comes away because. 00:06:38
We have difficulty quantifying it. 00:06:42
I've worked quite a bit with our legal team in the past two years and I find that they're really great at sort of pressing right 00:06:46
on that. 00:06:49
Idea so. 00:06:54
So I have no doubt that when they. 00:06:55
Kind of go through this with us. We'll see. 00:06:58
A little bit. 00:07:02
More information. 00:07:03
You know the presence of trash. 00:07:06
And rubbish we don't. We don't have a lot of graffiti in the city. 00:07:08
But the the presence of trash and rubbish you know the city has. 00:07:12
But sorry, I've moved on. 00:07:16
The city has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code, oftentimes when the code compliance department is writing. 00:07:21
Notices of violation for properties. 00:07:28
We will. 00:07:31
Pull on our own litter. 00:07:33
Ordinance and we'll also pull on the International Property Maintenance Code. 00:07:36
To, you know, put something behind whatever the complaint is, so. 00:07:41
The department is. 00:07:46
Pretty well versed at. 00:07:47
You know, finding whatever the violation is. 00:07:49
And uh. 00:07:52
The applicable code and then communicating that. 00:07:53
To the property owner. 00:07:56
Repeated illegal activity on the property. The maintenance of the property is below state code or municipal. 00:07:59
State, county or municipal codes. 00:08:05
For at least one year. 00:08:08
Is conducted to ill health, transmission of disease. 00:08:10
Infant mortality, I mean, so these. 00:08:14
These kind of run the gamut of. 00:08:16
Offenses, if you will. 00:08:18
Any questions on these? 00:08:21
Other than just. 00:08:22
Making sure that whatever we. 00:08:23
Put can be. 00:08:26
Quantified. 00:08:28
Just to use one of these as an example. 00:08:31
Like has been vacant or abandoned for a period in excess of one year and use the example of utilities. So I mean we should. 00:08:34
Outline. That is the bar. 00:08:41
We could. We could the definition. 00:08:43
I think I mean, so one of the things that we do in a. 00:08:47
You know in in regular code compliance. 00:08:51
Protocol is if we do receive a complaint. 00:08:54
We'll check into these types of things, You know, is it vacant? How can you determine it's vacant other than? 00:08:57
Going to the property and trying to. 00:09:03
You know, get in and see. 00:09:06
You can typically look at Utility account. 00:09:08
And say there's been no water service here for. 00:09:10
Two years. 00:09:13
So we could we could add that to the language. 00:09:14
Definitely doable. 00:09:19
Any other questions on those definitions? 00:09:25
OK, then. Then we proceed to just go through some of the legal jargon here about, you know, what is a governing authority, what 00:09:28
does a municipality. 00:09:33
These are things that I. 00:09:38
Don't think are. 00:09:39
Things that need to be. 00:09:42
Discussed per se. 00:09:44
All right, so let's get into the procedure for identifying something as a blighted property. 00:09:46
So. 00:09:51
This would. 00:09:52
Currently reside as it's written with the city manager or his designee. 00:09:53
A lot of in our ordinance of. 00:09:59
Quite a few times this this happens, it will say the city manager. 00:10:01
Or their designee that oftentimes falls to either myself. 00:10:05
Or Chief Lackner. 00:10:08
And then? 00:10:11
What will happen is that we'll prepare a written report identifying that real property. 00:10:12
That report will include a legal description of the property. 00:10:17
Photographic documentation if possible. 00:10:20
And a summary of the code violations. Police reports, fire department calls. 00:10:23
Or other relevant histories, so this report. 00:10:27
Is where you package everything. 00:10:30
That we discussed in the definitions right so we've. 00:10:32
Identified this property because of XY and Z reasons. 00:10:36
It meets our definition of flight for this. 00:10:40
And here's the evidence of that. 00:10:43
The property owner will be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before. 00:10:46
Mayor and council, so you would be the ultimate deciding body on this and that would be in the form of a public hearing. 00:10:51
So there would be a notice and they would have an opportunity. 00:10:59
To come before you as a body. 00:11:02
Upon finding that the property is maintained in a blightened condition as the. 00:11:05
Find herein the Mayor and City Council shall adopt A resolution declaring the property as officially maintained in a blighted 00:11:08
condition. 00:11:12
And shall authorize increased Avalon taxation as specified herein. 00:11:16
Any questions on the process there? 00:11:21
There are other municipalities that just. 00:11:24
Issue the tax. 00:11:26
Right when we were talking to the to Brunswick. 00:11:27
Determine it to be blighted and they issued the tax. 00:11:30
We we leaned on the side of offering the property owner the chance to come in. 00:11:33
To be heard. 00:11:38
Any opportunity to correct the situation? 00:11:39
Not at the present. 00:11:43
The other OK. 00:11:44
Yeah, it's a good question, I mean. 00:11:47
Just so everyone understands if we. 00:11:49
If we in the in the department receive a complaint, that complaint will be reviewed by our code compliance officers. They will go 00:11:52
and do an investigation, try to. 00:11:58
Figure out and see for themselves. They may follow up with the complainant. Typically what we do, always what we do is we follow 00:12:03
sort of a three-step. 00:12:08
Process which would be. 00:12:13
We speak with the individual. 00:12:15
If we can't get anywhere in speaking with the property owner or the tenants, then we will. 00:12:17
Write an official notice of violation. That's something that comes from my office. It will have a corrective order on it. It will 00:12:23
have a time frame in which. 00:12:27
The owner of the property can reply. 00:12:32
And then if we can't get there, then we move to. 00:12:36
A citation or assignments to appear in Municipal Court. 00:12:41
This is a. 00:12:44
This is a. 00:12:46
Process. 00:12:47
Right. So it's a good discussion for us to have. 00:12:49
You know, let let's try to use a scenario. 00:12:54
A property which may be in non compliance of. 00:12:58
The International property maintenance code. 00:13:03
But has someone? 00:13:06
Living in IT or has a business. 00:13:08
Operating in it, right, because we need to be clear here we're talking about. 00:13:10
We're not distinguishing in this. 00:13:13
Between residential and commercial, we're talking about structures, so, but let's use a scenario where we have. 00:13:16
A dwelling. 00:13:22
And that dwelling is occupied. 00:13:23
And that dwelling is not in compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code. 00:13:25
The the path that we would proceed. 00:13:30
Would be speaking. 00:13:32
Writing and then citing to appear in Municipal Court. 00:13:34
That's not something that I think we would apply. 00:13:37
To a structure that's been vacant for 10 plus years. 00:13:40
Right. Those structures, to be honest, it's difficult to find the owner. 00:13:44
They're oftentimes LLC's. 00:13:48
They have registered agents, you know, up in Atlanta. 00:13:50
And their home base is somewhere in California. 00:13:54
So there's two different, you know, they're, they're very, they're, they're kind of vastly different. 00:13:57
Approaches and I think that this. 00:14:03
Redevelopment tax approach is really meant to be for. 00:14:05
Vacant, you know. 00:14:11
Not present or absent. 00:14:15
Property owners. 00:14:17
So would it be uh. 00:14:19
Duplicitous in some way? I don't think so based on what you just said to. 00:14:21
Make one of the basic requirements for blight. 00:14:26
Be that they have been previously contacted. 00:14:30
Are notified by. 00:14:34
The department that. 00:14:35
Their property is blighted. You know, like, say, to allow. 00:14:37
Some period of time, 30 days or some activity to occur. 00:14:41
To give him an opportunity to make amends before. 00:14:47
We drag the Council on the, you know, everyone into this process. 00:14:50
That, at the very least, there was some. 00:14:55
I mean, it's one of the. 00:14:57
Potential 12 or 15 items. 00:14:58
That could be, you know, that they had been cited previously. 00:15:01
But it's not a necessity necessarily. 00:15:05
But what I'm saying is. 00:15:08
I think it perhaps should be a necessity that they have. 00:15:10
At least been notified and cited. 00:15:13
That their property is considered blighted and given an opportunity to make some corrective actions. 00:15:16
Over, you know. 00:15:21
Short period, not a year or months, but they're going to take some action within 3045 days. 00:15:22
Before it. 00:15:29
Becomes a hearing in front of the Council. 00:15:30
Sure. And I think #3. 00:15:33
Is probably in the definitions. Is. 00:15:37
Is where I would. 00:15:40
Camp that has been the subject of repeated code violations and the property owner has failed to take reasonable measures. What I'm 00:15:41
saying is that I wish to take that and make that as. 00:15:46
A requirement. 00:15:50
This has happened and. 00:15:53
At least one of the following. 00:15:55
Other things, you know, if that's kind of like the key. 00:15:57
Notification component #3. 00:16:00
You know that we're aware of this and it's been an issue for a while, you know, and we've cited them. 00:16:04
So that this has happened and in any one of the other things below. 00:16:10
Makes it. 00:16:14
Now elevated to the point where you're you're going to a hearing and. 00:16:15
Yeah, we're looking at. 00:16:19
You know, increasing your property tax. 00:16:21
Sure. 00:16:22
I have two followers about that. Well, I wonder if that would give us. 00:16:24
Better legal standing. 00:16:29
In assessing the tax, if we've at least given a 30 day. 00:16:32
Period. 00:16:36
To correct. 00:16:37
And I think that that's for me, that's a that's a discussion about what is that rehabilitation, You know, how do we as. 00:16:39
A municipality, say. 00:16:46
The rehabilitation is that you get a tenant in that commercial property and it becomes vibrant. 00:16:48
That's not something that we can do through our codes. 00:16:53
Well, but I mean if that property is just vacant. 00:16:56
Just being maintained meticulously. 00:16:59
That's only one. 00:17:01
Function there and there's nothing else to. 00:17:03
Cite them about just because it's vacant. 00:17:06
You know, so they would not necessarily be blighted. 00:17:09
Under that one condition of being vacant, if it's being maintained like somebody'd there. 00:17:12
You know, so I think that. 00:17:18
Kind of is where I'm coming from is that. 00:17:19
Everybody would like to have a tenant, and maybe that doesn't always happen in a perfect world, but you're taking care of your 00:17:24
business, you're taking care of your building, and you're not, you know, bringing everybody else down. 00:17:29
You know that is what it is. 00:17:35
Once it turns and we've cited them. 00:17:37
For any of these number of things you know then. 00:17:40
Yeah. 00:17:44
I would, I think. 00:17:46
We oops, sorry everybody. 00:17:49
Deborah. 00:17:56
Thank you, it'll come back shortly. 00:17:58
Let's see. 00:18:02
I don't know what just happened. 00:18:05
OK, so. 00:18:08
We in the in the code compliance department are going to figure out some things in in a very short order so. 00:18:11
The last time that we spoke about this, I had mentioned. 00:18:19
How we have some persistently challenging properties in the city. 00:18:23
In which for several years our code. 00:18:28
Department has been reminding property owners of. 00:18:31
Their lack of attention to. 00:18:35
Grass and weeds or litter or. 00:18:39
Mobile vendors that are operating on their property without. 00:18:43
Permits or. 00:18:47
You know, all types of things in which we become the eyes. 00:18:48
For a property owner that. 00:18:52
Is never here. 00:18:54
And we have taken the steps to bring. 00:18:56
Some of those properties. 00:18:59
To Municipal Court. 00:19:01
And so the citation. 00:19:02
The code that we've used. 00:19:05
Is usually around litter. 00:19:07
Or grass and weeds. 00:19:10
And what we find ourselves in right now? 00:19:11
Is the property owner will claim. 00:19:15
Will will plead not guilty. 00:19:17
Because they've mowed the grass. 00:19:20
The issue at hand is that we've been asking you to mow your grass. 00:19:22
Every year. 00:19:26
For three years. 00:19:27
Every month during the growing season. So it's that. 00:19:28
Absence of property maintenance that we're trying to. 00:19:31
Decouple here. So I think we'll learn a lot in that. 00:19:35
Legal activity and that can inform, I think that you know. 00:19:37
You said it exactly there. Number 3 has been the subject of repeated code violations, not. 00:19:40
You know. 00:19:46
You know that that meets number one for me based on what you're saying there and that in that scenario. 00:19:47
And if we link anything else to that, the property is vacant. 00:19:52
You know then that that's the second thing. 00:19:56
Maybe that links it and puts them here, but they have at least. 00:19:59
Been notified. 00:20:03
Multiple times, right? 00:20:04
You know and and to understand that that one works, you know. 00:20:06
In that understanding, and so as we get into this, we might find out that it. 00:20:09
Something else comes up that we're not thinking of, but. 00:20:13
You know, as as Councilwoman King was saying, I agree that. 00:20:16
You know that. 00:20:20
Having some opportunity. 00:20:21
Or at least being aware before. 00:20:23
And most likely that's going to be the case, but. 00:20:26
You know, just make sure that. 00:20:29
That's the process we're following, I think is. 00:20:31
If we're going to adopt language, which I think is a good idea to get somebody. 00:20:36
You know, like a 30 day notice. 00:20:39
Should we also consider some language? 00:20:42
If it is an absent owner where we've tried, like how long do we try to get ahold of them if they're certified, letters sent or 00:20:44
whatever the case may be for contact? 00:20:48
And then? 00:20:52
There has to be a follow up period somewhere where we've been. 00:20:53
Asking you for a year now to. 00:20:56
Keep up with your property unresponsive. 00:20:58
Sour. At this point, we're trying to give you 30 day notice. So does it just end after the 30 days that we're just gonna go ahead 00:21:00
and apply the tax if they're unresponsive for that period of time? 00:21:04
Yeah, I mean, so I think the letter could. 00:21:09
Read something like. 00:21:11
You know, you know. 00:21:13
It could be a preemptive to the report that's in this procedure where we issue that. 00:21:14
Notice. 00:21:20
And then we offer them 30 days. 00:21:21
And if they do not respond within 30 days, then we schedule the hearing. 00:21:24
To come before Council. 00:21:29
Well, you know what? What other thing? The negative effect that is happening on properties around theirs. 00:21:30
Is humongous. 00:21:35
I see it with with all kind of properties. 00:21:38
In our area. 00:21:42
OK. Thank you. Just just taking some notes here. 00:21:43
All right. 00:21:52
I think we have a little bit of time to now move on to. 00:21:54
The increased ad valorem tax, so when we had discussed this at the last session. 00:22:00
There really isn't a limit. 00:22:06
As to how much more you can charge. 00:22:08
We're proposing here 7 times. 00:22:11
So I think in the past we had discussed. 00:22:14
As low as 5 cities go as low as 3 or they go as high as 10? 00:22:17
Any thoughts on this? 00:22:22
I think we should go as high as we can go. Yeah, I was gonna say we need to make it. 00:22:24
Yeah, OK. 00:22:29
What is Brunswick doing 7 times or 10 times? It's somewhere up there. 00:22:31
Yeah, it's somewhere up there, but I can't remember right now. 00:22:36
You don't notice. 00:22:40
Yeah. 00:22:43
Another another really interesting. 00:22:45
Scenario here that I just want to. 00:22:47
Bring to our attention that we'll need to discuss them. 00:22:49
And come up with some way to. 00:22:53
Assess this. 00:22:56
Or to actually do this and and monitor this. 00:22:58
Revenues arising from the increased rate of ad valorem taxation. 00:23:01
Shall be segregated by the city and used only for community redevelopment purposes, including but not limited to. 00:23:05
Affordable housing, code enforcement, infrastructure improvements, redevelopment grants and loans. 00:23:13
Public safety enhancements. 00:23:19
I think it's good. 00:23:21
OK. 00:23:23
This one I think you know. 00:23:26
The. 00:23:29
So once you've determined a property to be blighted. 00:23:31
We and it's not. 00:23:35
Quite in here yet, but I think it would be very wise. 00:23:37
To craft an agreement. 00:23:41
In which the. 00:23:44
The terms of. 00:23:46
How the property can be? 00:23:47
Redeveloped or become rehabilitated and therefore. 00:23:50
Taken off. 00:23:54
The increased ad valorem taxation list. 00:23:56
That we need to flesh that out a little bit more here so that. 00:23:59
There would. We would. 00:24:03
Both parties would be as prepared as possible. 00:24:06
When someone a property owner feels that they have rehabilitated their property, they need to be assured that their investments. 00:24:11
You know, after they do them. 00:24:19
Will be met. 00:24:21
With uh. 00:24:22
Having the property come off the list and I think. 00:24:23
Right now we've got the concept of that in this language. 00:24:26
But we don't have a very solid. 00:24:29
A way to get there, and I think that will be instrumental. 00:24:32
That a property owner can see for themselves. 00:24:35
What it's going to take. 00:24:38
To bring that property off of this. 00:24:40
Taxation list and. 00:24:43
And you know another question I have is. 00:24:44
I don't know what happens after that. 00:24:47
You know what if they. 00:24:49
Don't pay the. 00:24:51
The text What if they say there's there's no way I'm going to be able to rehabilitate? 00:24:52
These are all things that I think are the. 00:24:56
The second iteration. 00:24:58
Of this draft and. 00:25:00
You know, we'll keep working on that with legal counsel. 00:25:01
And bring something back before you. 00:25:05
Well, and for the cost? 00:25:07
Of blighting a property. 00:25:09
Do we have them pay at least the? 00:25:13
First year. 00:25:17
He's 7 or 10 times. 00:25:18
The assessment. 00:25:20
That gets paid to contribute to these. 00:25:22
Yeah. I mean, I believe that's what Dee says, that it shall be lifted in the year following the determination. So they would have. 00:25:25
Once like saying once they've been notified and they let it go to the hearing and then they. 00:25:33
Were found to be blighted. 00:25:37
They're paying, they're paying their tax at that point, whether they clean it up the next day or not. 00:25:39
Because they let it get to that point. 00:25:44
Knew it was coming. 00:25:46
They were notified. 00:25:47
They had some time to react before they showed up here. 00:25:49
You know, if they show up here after 30 days and they can demonstrate that they're doing AB and C already and they've got. 00:25:52
D&F, you know, work. 00:25:58
You know in process, you know. 00:26:00
Then maybe we as a council say, OK, you know, we're going to give you another 30 days. 00:26:02
Or something you know before. 00:26:07
Doing this tax because you are. 00:26:09
You started working on it before the hearing. 00:26:10
You got some more to do. And, you know, I mean, that's a determination we can make. 00:26:13
At that time, but if. 00:26:17
They don't do anything and they show up here. 00:26:19
They're going to, they should pay the tax even if they go the next day and start cleaning or whatever, you know? 00:26:22
I feel like they ought to pay the tax. 00:26:28
Even if they start cleaning once they're notified. 00:26:30
Once it becomes blighted because we have. 00:26:33
Expended all this effort. 00:26:36
But won't be technically blighted until we vote on it at the hearing though. 00:26:38
So is what I'm saying, So you're saying they come to the hearing with? 00:26:42
Having done all those things but still were convening with. 00:26:45
Been through, I agree. 00:26:50
Processes. It's, I mean it's a discussion we need to have. 00:26:52
But right. And do we articulate what we expect? 00:26:56
Right. And I'm very interested also in actually legally what can we do when that is ignored, when that property tax? 00:27:00
I mean, I think you know at what point. 00:27:07
How long do we have to go before? 00:27:11
We can take action on that private property, you know, and are we able to even take action sometimes finish up the scope of what 00:27:14
the problem is, but. 00:27:18
They would become unpaid property taxes, correct for somebody. 00:27:23
I mean, the encouragement here is to try to get a vacant. 00:27:27
Dilapidated building, either fixed up by the existing order if they're unwilling to to encourage them to sell the property to 00:27:30
somebody that will fix it up. 00:27:33
Right. And I think one of the. 00:27:38
One of the things that we've also been thinking about in tandem. 00:27:40
With this. 00:27:43
Is you know as the. 00:27:44
Carl Vinson Institute and UGA. 00:27:47
Start on the. 00:27:49
Planning for the revitalization of Midtown. 00:27:51
Some other tools. This is this is a tool in the toolbox, right? So. 00:27:54
So. 00:27:58
There's this idea of this. 00:27:59
Redevelopment tax incentive, but maybe we can. 00:28:02
Think about. 00:28:05
And overlay in the zoning, which is very. 00:28:06
You know, permissible. Lots of activities, lots of things to do, lots of flexibility that can be done. 00:28:10
As of right. 00:28:15
Maybe we work with the JDA? 00:28:17
And with Main Street to ensure that there are. 00:28:19
Grants that would enable redevelopment. So anyway that we can. 00:28:22
Incentivize and this would be again. 00:28:26
Just a part of the package of incentives. 00:28:29
To steer redevelopment to Midtown. 00:28:32
I think if if I'm not mistaken, you. 00:28:34
You know this is the stick. 00:28:36
That we're talking about is there a carrot? You know, is there something there is a carrot. So yeah, and and I think, you know, 00:28:38
the carrot can be the zoning, the carrot can be. 00:28:43
Other grants, I mean, I, I think what we'd run into a little. 00:28:49
A little trickiness there if if. 00:28:52
We're ready to determine a property blighted and we're also going to give it a grant so but. 00:28:54
All all good things to have to. 00:28:58
Work through. 00:29:01
All right. With that, I think what we'll do is staff and I will. 00:29:03
Work this over a little bit. 00:29:08
And get with legal counsel. 00:29:11
And then maybe next quarter. 00:29:13
Some time if that timing feels good, we want to see we got just a couple minutes for any public comment. 00:29:16
Anybody like to make any comments about this? Please come to the podium. Give us your name and address. 00:29:23
Two or two push the button. 00:29:38
The lights on the head it's got. 00:29:42
On the bottom. OK, Thank you. 00:29:45
Judy Turner, 202 W Bryant St. 00:29:48
In regards to what you were saying. 00:29:51
Is this OK? 00:29:55
OK, don't be too easy. 00:29:57
I know from. 00:30:01
Living here. 00:30:03
Somebody was notified by. 00:30:05
Code compliance Who works? 00:30:07
Very hard. 00:30:09
This person. 00:30:11
Had been notified. 00:30:13
Prior code compliance officers. 00:30:14
They come in. 00:30:17
They cut their grass. What little bit was available to cut? 00:30:18
Nothing else done. 00:30:24
Grass goes right back up. 00:30:26
The litter. 00:30:28
It's grown right, but. 00:30:29
That one time cutting the grass, they. 00:30:31
OK. 00:30:33
I think you gotta be aware of that. 00:30:35
Don't. Don't be easy. 00:30:37
Thank you. I think that, like I said, that goes back to that repeated violation. Yeah. 00:30:41
Yeah. 00:30:45
Larry White, 102 Sybase Court. 00:30:53
I can tell you from personal experience of a property that I know of. 00:30:56
That he has as one neighbor. 00:30:59
Come over and cut his front lawn. He hasn't lived in that house. 00:31:01
For over 4 years. 00:31:04
I think he still owns a house. 00:31:06
So as one neighbor gracefully comes over. 00:31:08
That's most of his front lawn. 00:31:10
But I I once thought it was a drug. I used to do that. 00:31:12
Then I stopped. 00:31:15
Now my property. 00:31:17
Cut the grass there. 00:31:19
But that we that the. 00:31:20
Granted, about that tall. 00:31:22
But that one. 00:31:24
When one neighbor refuses to mow it. 00:31:25
Now if you look in his backyard. 00:31:27
I don't know. 00:31:29
Bladed should reply. 00:31:30
Applying the backyards also. 00:31:32
He has an entire backyard. 00:31:35
Is full of weeds. 00:31:37
At least six to seven feet tall. 00:31:39
And there's been snakes coming out. 00:31:41
I'm in the backyard into the property. 00:31:43
That I owned. 00:31:45
Now you need to look into. 00:31:46
Blighted not only means structures. 00:31:48
But it means a condition. 00:31:50
Of the property. 00:31:51
IE the yard. 00:31:53
I forgot to mention the. 00:31:55
Ken Jelly 102 Salt grass trace in Saint Mary's. 00:32:06
I want to. 00:32:10
All right, better. 00:32:20
I want to applaud the the City Council and and also our. 00:32:24
Community Development Director. 00:32:28
This is not an easy task whatsoever. 00:32:30
Anybody that's listening thinks this is easy put pen. 00:32:33
The paper and then somebody signs it and it's all going to happen. Well, we all know it's not. 00:32:36
I I was particularly impressed with Councilman Keen's position with. 00:32:43
Let's give them the full stroke of the pump. 00:32:48
And and I agree. 00:32:50
This type of. 00:32:52
Enforcement comes only after significant violation. 00:32:55
And uh. 00:33:00
Demonstration on the part of the owner. 00:33:01
That they are not willing. 00:33:04
To do anything. 00:33:05
To participate and they are going to continue to ignore the city leadership. 00:33:07
So that in and of itself would in my opinion. 00:33:11
Mandate. 00:33:15
That they get. 00:33:16
As severe a fine as possible. 00:33:17
For as long as possible. 00:33:20
And give them. 00:33:23
Really. 00:33:24
No, no benefit of the. 00:33:25
You know, but again, thank you all very much. I know it's tough. Thank you. 00:33:27
Thank you. 00:33:32
Anyone else? 00:33:36
OK, we will adjourn this work session. 00:33:39
Be back at 6:00 for our City Council meeting. 00:33:42
Express. 00:33:46